Husbands and wives should never go shopping together. Different views come into play in the shopping aisles! For instance, one wants to look at all the chips available or one wants to stand and read the list of ingredients while the other is in a hurry, and already at the checkout line waiting. No, it’s better to go separately and be at your leisure.
Here is something I wrote on August 2, 2010 after a co-shopping trip to WalMart in Spirit Lake, IA. It’s where I learned a valuable lesson about Dan’s clothes hanger preferences.
It is our 2nd co-visit to a Wal-Mart. The first was in Omaha. Our bid for a lakehouse had been accepted with closing in 2 weeks. We were euphoric and had to do something, so we went out and shopped for staples and supplies.
Now, it is two days after closing and we have spent 2 nights in the house. We are again euphoric! It’s been a lot of work but also a lot of fun.
We are going to WalMart in Spirit Lake (the only retail store there for the basics) for lots of things, such as laundry and waste baskets, garbage can, bathroom things, garage key pad, and hangers.
Oh yes, hangers. I reached for a package of plastic, thick hangers. Dan says, “I hate that kind. You like them but I hate them.” Hate? That’s a pretty strong word. Not understanding why anyone would hate my favorite white, “perfect for hanging damp clothing” hangers, I got miffed and defended them for the above reasons. “They take up too much room”, he said.
So, I reached for clear plastic hangers with metal hooks. “I don’t like those either”, he says. “the hooks spin around as you’re taking the shirt off of it.” Who would have thought?
I learned that he just wants plain wired old fashioned hangers that take up little space. He wants the kind that I’ve been clearing out of the house by returning them to the dry cleaners or trying to donate (do you know some thrift stores will not take hangers, and then, you have to sneak them into their drop boxes? Or, if you’re scrupulously honest, search out a store that will accept them?) I don’t like them because they get all twisty and tangly while using.
So, I learned a LOT in that store aisle discussion that actually became a little tense. Now, wire hangers hang on his side of the closet; I have a grand mix of hangers as I transistion to all wood, which really is my favorite.
The tension was still there as we were checking out. I see a pkg of 3 female disposable razors. I take it out and exclaim, “Oh my gosh, We don’t need these! I bought about 50 that are in the lakehouse bathroom cupboard. Dan says, “Oooooh! Good thing we’re not buying those”, all sarcastically, as if the $3.00 would break our budget. Communication breakdown. When he had asked me earlier about razors, I thought he was getting men’s, of which we have zero.
It isn’t about the budget. It’s about buying too much, too fast, and cluttering up our brand new (to us) lakehouse spaces. It’s out of control, (out of my control).
Shirley
On Writing, On Life 