It was a general day in a shopping mall. I was on the mission to buy some household goods. One unusual thing among the list was the traveler’s shaving kit for dad. I reached the zone. One salesman was trying to promote a shaving razor to a middle age customer. I was overlooked as an ‘unfit’ consumer of the zone. When I continued gazing the displayed products, I was attended. The ready kit wasn’t there and I had to choose its contents individually. By this time I received surprised, confused looks from the present customer and two new ones. The variety available in a simple razor confused me to its apex and I asked the salesman to help me to choose a standard one…to this opportunity he naturally put forward the brand he was promoting…trying not to look like an easy catch, I asked for its comparison with other products based on my common sense and observations of dad’s daily ritual and also thanks to the basic information source of our generation, the advertisements….but contradicting to my intention it made me look all the more foolish and proved strongly that I am at a wrong place trying to buy a wrong thing! I had to ignore the suppressed smile of the salesman when I asked him ‘Have I picked up all the things required for shaving?!’….finally I was done with it… for the first time I realized the meaning of territorial activities!
Ladies are considered and they are of course masters in the activity of shopping. Clothes, accessories, household goods, ornaments, blah blah blah…the list and enthusiasm for shopping is never ending, especially when it’s the BIG SALE. I have seen ladies advancing exploring all the counters in a shopping mall followed by their male counterparts who are supposed to agree to the opinions of the shopping master and are responsible for babysitting during this highly important activity of shopping. The scenario is the same, may that be the Decathlon in Italy or Inorbit in India! I highly appreciate the patience and support of these males. Especially for one reason- in general or ladies sections you see ladies followed by their boyfriends, husbands carrying heavy bags, kids whereas in gents section we find them alone making their ways through the choices….they are like a scanty community in the world of shopping! But the experience I had made me realize even in shopping, men have their own territories though small ones.
