Shopping and the man

I wondered if it is unique to me. The way I hate shopping. Not that I don't buy things. I buy my stuff at times. The operation last time went like this. I spotted the Levi's store on my way to office. While returning, I went in, asked for Levi's 517, waist 34 and then picked up two of them. Paid and walked out and I had two pairs of jeans, in less than 15 minutes, including trials. 

And here I was, at Sarojini market in New Delhi, with biwi for the past 4 hours, and she was looking at Lucknow chicken (sorry for the spelling, I could only gather that it has nothing to do with chicken we eat, but for some reason it is pronounced so, and I don't bother to Google and find out the exact term), and I was there. I was not only there, but was forced to be there, as biwi is rare commodity and I maximize my time with her when she is around, with or without chicken. While she browsed through the roadside exhibits, I pondered over the meaning of my existence and concluded that Seneca was right, many centuries before me, that men waste time behind useless pursuits, shopping with spouse being the prime reason in this century. She chose a few chickens, I ran out of cash, and she ordered me to an ATM, which I happily obliged as I was getting all hypnotized and dizzy under the chicken designs and scooted off. I was in the queue, with many hapless males in front of me, and there i found out this profound truth that all males hate shopping. The ATM queue conversation went like this:

Me: The queue is long

Grumpy male ahead of me: What to do, there are only two ATMs here

Me: True true. It's a pain

Grumpy: No young man, it's a relief, I am away from my wife and the stupid salwar designs. I am at peace in the queue.

Me: hehe, you are right, me too sir, same here! I hope it ends somewhere. 

Grumpy: Huh, these females are stupid you know. They love haggling and picking and fretting over all these idiotic stuff. I have grown old but there is no respite. Take my word, if you are married, you are doomed. If someone said there's a hell, it is here, it is here, it is right here, in the sarojinis and lajpat and haats of new delhi. 

Me: hehehe. The queue is better

Grumpy: true true

And the serene quietness descended on us and we waited for our turn at the ATM. Male world you know. Less words, more brooding and no shopping. 

I went back after around half an hour to biwi. She was still at chickens. She had picked some more meanwhile. 

As I paid off all the chickens and walked off, she held my hand and said, 

"Da, it was really nice. I am so happy, I bought so much tonight" and gave me an almost kissing smile. 

Well, at times, I feel it is worth all the pain.