Clear choices

It was the Louise Phillipe counter in Madura Garments that my husband and me,  along with his old friend stood making choices of shirts and trousers. That kind of shopping has happened many times in the past 15 years and what I always never fail to admire is my husband’s sheer lack of ‘choosiness’(if I can use that!).  When I open his cupboard today, the greys, blues and greens will always hit you straight away. There is an undying appetite for the blues, especially. So what we normally see is a big dab of blue in his cupboard. He will always make sure that I accompany him on such shopping sprees. He will stand there pulling off all the possible blues and greys and then bring them up to the counter to make choices.

The Garments office that was so deja vous for us! So clicked this 'often seen' picture there.

His marketing skills are at its best when it comes to the choice of shirts. “This blue is different. Half arm also”. He knows now that I have a special liking to his half arm shirts. If I remain unconvinced, and that is something he will normally read from my face, that's when he tries harder. Well by now both of us do face reading well. He would then run his fingers through the fabric and quote some very technical details like, “Its pin-point. Oxford,  Very good weave .”  I would be clearly stumped by this, he does have in-depth knowledge of fabric , owing to his long years of Coats experience. “This is like the oxford blue. Check out the price. Its value for money also.”  Well at that point I would say, “Ok, Take that since you like it so much but then take this half arm plain grey also”.  For the choice of the rest of the shirts I am normally knighted to make the choice as the one he dearly liked is already bought.   The whole shopping exercise will be so fast that I wonder if he ever gives importance to such things. While I do exercise my full rights in making his choices (something I love doing….used to doing it for all the men in my life till now. Dad and  bro!), what I never stop wondering is of the 10 times we shop for each of us, I make his other choices 9 out of 10 times while I let him help me with shopping my stuff only 3 out of the 10 times. What I hate to admit is the fact that whenever it is an outfit he chooses for me and I reluctantly buy it for the sake of not putting him off, that’s the outfit everyone compliments me about.  Well! A true confession!

A childhood friend and me sat discussing this and I do find that there are a few more like him. We verbally bashed our men with all our might and also thanked our stars for having them in our lives. Its often the same things that make us livid that makes us happy too !  My man is quick, hardly cares, checks the price, partial to certain shades, never wants to know whats new, hardly bothered about trying out the shirt and always tries to minimize buying. The world can go for all the shades they like but I want my simple stuff please!  After all, We are what we are by the way and how we make those choices!

To turn away and look at other aspects of choices too! While the shirts are washed and placed in his cupboard every week, whichever shirt sits on top of the pile will just get worn. If I did keep the same Tshirt on top, he wouldn’t know.:) No jokes. So much to his grooming interests.Sigh! Same with his shoes too!  I’m fine with this standard one is an obvious answer.

The sherwanis, Woodland casuals, strappy, branded watches, pointed shoes, perfumes and other accessories never entice him. I consciously gift him these. A far cry from the word ‘fancy’. Making his choices is easy for him. He hardly has much to make from due to his limited needs. Priorities are neatly laid in the mind and the requirements are always clearly stated. It’s the same case when we go out to dinner. Its me and my daughter who will take forever to decide from the menu card. He knows what he wants to eat from the menu card seconds after he is given one. No heed is paid to anything new on it. Not his choice anyway! A clear strength of mind that remains absolutely consistent, no matter what the situation demands of him.

While I pull his legs about his breeze shopping and the absolute ‘sanyas’ outlook to life, I realize many things today. He is never spoilt for choices, never gets driven by choices other people make, never sways from his tastes(very very fastidious with his likes and dislikes), predictability of wants in the tangible and intangibles, unwavering mind that never dissuades from a clear path of purpose.  Am I lucky in that sense! Well as I see more of the social world these years and am growing to adapt to the changes both inside and outside myself, I can’t but stop and simply marvel at his way of life! Nothing is grabbed  with a strong like and nothing is thrown away in total dislike! Claims are made and kept quietly and in total commitment to what he wants. It’s a peaceful world…his world , in one sense!

Its only me, who, occasionally in my zest to make it a more colorful world both figuratively and literally, end up forcing him to buy a deep purple shirt and  loudly striped trousers from the Louise Phillipe casuals section. Much to his dislike, but owing to the keenness I showed, he bought it reluctantly and wore it more reluctantly! While I heard that the colleagues kind of pulled his legs over it, he never told me that! “Its fine. Its different" While many of his friends do wear bold shades sometimes,  it kind of stands out when he does, as he never oversteps his territory, unless forced to! Am I proud of that!!