The sexes are different, and in few areas is this more apparent than attitudes to shopping. Take my partner. To her, shopping is a pleasure to be leasurely savored. When something is needed, it just can't be bought straight away. It has to searched out, discussed, sampled and tried on at many different establishments over a significant period of time. Only when all the alternatives are exhausted can the decision be made to buy, often at the shop in which the item was first found.
Contrast her shopping approach to mine. Shopping is a chore; clothes shopping particularly so. My method is to find something suitable as fast a possible, and buy it. Needless to say our different approaches cause friction. Shopping is no fun when I'm around, and over the years we have agreed that it's better if I don't accompany her. We part ways soon after we arrive at the retail fun palace, and meet up again at an agreed time.
Discussions with other couples over the years confirm that our case is not isolated. Seems that a lot of other blokes don't like shopping either. Now, the UK retailer Marks and Spencer have recognised the problem of unwilling males reducing their partners' shopping time, and instigated a remedy. They've set up the 'male creche' in their stores.
The retail chain Marks & Spencer has set up creches at six of its stores, where harassed females can leave their bored boyfriends and husbands to play with videos, toys and games. The creches also offer free drinks and crisps.
Can you believe some women weren't enamoured by the idea?
[some] men did not get off so lightly, the offer of "a drink and a seat, sir" sometimes being met with frosty looks from their female companions.
You'd think they'd be glad to be rid of them.
An airline frequent flyers' lounge in a retail store! A great idea; no longer will we need to make excuses to avoid the retail excursion.
