Learning to listen the hard way

I found myself in a weird conversation with a friend about shopping and I was happy to learn that he shared the same views as mine when it comes to shopping for clothes. He told me how he hates shopping and usually prefers buying from street vendors - very quick and easy. Well, that’s my preference too. His confession explained his appearance and just like a cliché, I’m one person eternity can best describe as ‘time spent inside a clothes boutique’. So, on Sunday I found myself wandering in town with no clear destination and decided to buy my friend a gift for her upcoming birthday. While looking through shoes I caught a glimpse of my unkempt image in the mirror inside the boutique. I thought it better to use the chance to change my tired attire. Confidently, I walked into the store like it’s a thing I do every day and, thanks to my eagle-like-eyes, I immediately noticed the area where shorts, shirts and suits were lined. The attendant followed me to inquire about my needs (meanwhile I had no idea what I was looking for). She was good at her job and I sensed that I could trust her. I enjoyed all the attention she was giving me but intuition knocked me from my sleep. She wasn’t concerned about me but my money. My doubt got the best of me and I started questioning every suggestion she offered. Any attire I would suggest, she would suggest another and I would do the same if she made a suggestion. I was just being stubborn and she looked annoyed and irritated. Displaying her anger assured me that I had bargaining power in my hands. That optimism didn’t last long. It so happened that when she suggested that a red shirt doesn’t match with blue trousers I just grabbed them and headed to the small space created in the boutique for changing. 30 minutes and 10 outfits later, I still had no idea what I was there to buy. It then hit me that the problem wasn’t my clothes, but the thing they were clothing. When I convinced myself that I was the problem, everything suddenly proceeded smoothly. My common sense suggested that there was nothing I could buy that could hide the marks I had imposed on my bony body. Like a child with no say, I give in to all the ideas the attendant offered and, with a rubber-stamp attitude, followed her instructions, paid her and walked out of the boutique a brand new person. After wasting 30mins, the latter process took less than 15mins. All this would have been easy had I done only one thing. Listened! It saves a lot of time.