Courtship (B)- Gone Shopping

When you are married with a child-teenager at home, and the both of you are busting your asses to build your careers, family and to provide, shopping tends to be driven by a singular concept-  Responsibility.

So the purchases you make together/alone are weighty (and terribly boring for a non-shopper):
car (in Singapore = FAINT), 1st home (instant debt disguised as mortgage), private kindergarten (ouch), graduate education (thank God for that fellowship), relocation costs (uh oh), 2nd home, 3rd home (sorry Baby, that house was calling out to be saved), international school (ouch, OUCH), car again (moan), car, boarding school (YIKES), and car (every man needs toys).

3rd home- salvaged & sold.  Goodbye house!

On occasion, your husband surprises you with a gift you know you have no need of.  When the gift is placed in your arms, you forget your days before his arrival, and you wonder at how big love gets.

The Love Gift

He's been wanting to get me a raincoat.  He leaves later today and is worried about me schlepping in the rain.  Three days ago, I humoured him and attempted shopping.  We found something that sits well on me, but the coat was hoodless, so we left the store.  It rained quite heavily all afternoon.  We crossed the street, fingers laced.  He then surprised me with something chunky.

Surprise!

So I am learning, as with Courtship Round 1 circa 1995, shopping during Courtship Round 2, 2013 is indulgent, improvisational, impulsive, (almost) irresponsible.

It's chunky!

Sigh.  Even the most reluctant of shoppers/tomboy at heart, appreciates a gift born of flight and fancy!  Something unexpected, thoughtful in the gesture, and the touch of color against skin.  I am going to miss you when you leave.  As it was then, so it is now, this maddening, maddening long distance.  

Call me on my cell when you get into Singapore tomorrow, Baby.  If I don't pick up immediately, just know that I may be nursing an achy heart, and have possibly gone, shopping.

XXOO