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Jul 01 2011 19 Comments

The universal misery of a man made to meander round the shops

The stupefying boredom of wandering aimlessly round uninteresting shops is a sensation known to most men. A burden made all the worse by an occasional and always badly timed question about non-gadget goods; or even worse, garments — the answer to which is almost always fraught with danger. One wrong, or heaven forbid, uninterested answer, inevitably making the jaunt even more jarring.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, evidence would also seem to suggest that it never, ever, ends.

An old Japanese couple shopping in Tokyo

Categorized: Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. El-Branden says

    7/1/2011 at 2:18 pm

    Since the beginning of time, this has been a terrible affliction upon the species known as “male”. Thank you, Lee, for bring this to the world’s attention. It has to be stopped!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/1/2011 at 5:20 pm

      Sadly, until all shops move entirely online, or every other store becomes an electronic goods/car/sports outlet, I feel this mistreatment — which is almost criminally uncovered by the media — will continue unabated. A tragedy that blights the lives of countless millions of men on weekends and public holidays. Time, surely, for the glassy-eyed, bag-laden men of the world to stand up and be counted.

      Or maybe go and play golf!

      Reply
  2. domo. says

    7/1/2011 at 4:50 pm

    the man in the picture hides his emotions well!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/1/2011 at 5:21 pm

      Years and years of practice domo…

      Reply
    • James says

      7/4/2011 at 8:47 am

      it looks rather like he doesn’t have any left.

      Reply
  3. Revenant says

    7/1/2011 at 6:41 pm

    We could have this all wrong, you know. Maybe he’s clocking that muslin top with the ethereal colour splotches. ‘Fancy meself in at, I do’ Nah, only kidding. Stop that thought. In reality what’s happening is she’s opening her purse to get him out an ichiman note. ‘Don’t want you shuffling abaht gettin in me way. Here take this and get yerself a pint. Oh and gimme that bag. Go on.’

    Reply
    • domo. says

      7/1/2011 at 8:55 pm

      every husband’s dream when shopping with their wives isn’t it? haha

      Reply
      • Lee says

        7/2/2011 at 12:20 am

        “‘Don’t want you shuffling abaht gettin in me way. Here take this and get yerself a pint. Oh and gimme that bag. Go on.”

        Ah, the perfect shopping trip…

        But at the same time, I now can’t get the thought of the old man eyeing up the muslin top out of my mind. And even worse, what he’d look like in it.

        Reply
        • domo. says

          7/2/2011 at 2:06 am

          He’ll definitely be on the cover of the next issue of Fruits if that happened!

          Reply
  4. winnie says

    7/1/2011 at 9:04 pm

    Maybe not every man like to go shopping with their partner, but this picture still look sweet to me.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/2/2011 at 12:30 am

      Yeah, they were a sweet couple to be honest. But he did look happy to move along!

      Reply
  5. Lizzy says

    7/2/2011 at 3:18 am

    HAHA! I guess my hubby should be thankful I don’t take him shopping with me, then? That’s what girlfriends are for! 😉

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/2/2011 at 11:49 am

      I bet he’s eternally grateful!

      Reply
  6. Ken C says

    7/2/2011 at 6:55 pm

    It’s good to know that some things transcend international boundaries. It’s not just males as husbands who suffer, I have travelled on business with female colleagues on several occasions and ended up in the same role.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/2/2011 at 8:18 pm

      Yes, it seems some things are the same the world over…

      Reply
  7. NihonBurp says

    7/2/2011 at 7:05 pm

    My heart goes out to this man, I understand the pain of countless hours spent looking at the same old clothes only for your significant other to decide to not buy anything and that she was “just looking”. When I shop its just in and out no fuss at all.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/2/2011 at 8:22 pm

      Same here. My rare shopping trips are more akin to a smash n grab raid. It’s the only way I can deal with it.

      Reply
  8. Thom says

    7/3/2011 at 9:41 am

    Thanks for the laugh!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      7/3/2011 at 9:59 pm

      You are welcome!

      Reply

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