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No doubt it’s taken awhile. For years, he’d usually just beg off. Didn’t matter if we were shopping for him, or for the house or for something he said we needed. Nope, he wouldn’t go.
Sometimes he was tired. Sick. Had chores to do. (Once he actually said he needed to clean the bathroom just to escape the mall!) Most recently, as he's going to school to obtain a teacher certification, he blames it on homework.
So I'd go it alone. Forced to guess at whether he’ll like the color or style or size. Not to mention I have to hang out by myself or try to tame the kids alone. I’ve actually become good at picking out the right things, but it’s a little lonely. Not fun.
Not anymore. I ask and he agrees. Without even a fight.
Wanna know the secret?
One word - iPad.
Now, he just grabs for our multifaceted tablet and heads for the car. At the store, he just walks behind me, playing internet Scrabble with strangers across the country, sitting on a nearby bench as I try things on.
I can take as long as I want.
When I need help, he’s more than happy to give advice. “Good color” or “A little too tight,” then he’s back to playing his word. Or checking the Internet.
Perfect.
“Now that’s a guy who knows how to shop!” a sales woman said as he walked behind me through our second store this past weekend. (BTW, he actually asked me if I wanted to go shopping. It was HIS idea...)
On vacation about a week ago, more than one person chuckled as he strolled slowly through the Mall of America outside Minneapolis, hardly taking his eyes off the Scrabble board. (Not sure that any of this is safe, mind you. The poor guy is going to fall sooner or later, or run into a steel beam or something. But, let‘s face it, it‘s working beautifully so far.)
What’s best is that this new willingness to accompany me has expanded past shopping. The iPad is also good for restaurants he doesn’t want to go to or a kids’ gym chock full of bounce houses that typically he would have bowed out of.
Just yesterday he spent three hours shopping with me and then today it was two hours watching youngest run from bounce house to bounce house.
I think this new method has even surprised him. He likes to shop now, even looking at clothes and household items. The key is, when he gets bored, instead of just standing there and wanting to poke his eyes out or "encouraging" me to hurry it up, he just pulls up Scrabble or logs in to collect rent on his virtual island.
I’ve even figured out how to get him busy on the Internet as the clerk totals up the bill.
For a woman who doesn't like to shop alone, let's just say that life’s pretty good these days.
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