Until my marriage, shopping was always a girls’ day out 
— me and my two close friends from the colony hopping from shop to shop, picking matching bangles, earrings, hairstyles, and footwear 
. Those were such carefree, giggly times!
But after marriage, my first shopping trip with my husband turned out to be both embarrassing and funny! 
This was in 1997. As promised, one fine weekend he took me shopping for sarees, dresses, and matching accessories. The street was busy and colorful 
— full of vendors calling out, the air filled with excitement and chatter.
I stopped at one stall and began selecting pretty hair clips, bindis, and bangles 
. After choosing a bunch, I turned casually to take money from my husband’s shirt pocket… only to find — it wasn’t him! 
A stranger stood there, equally confused, staring at me! For a moment, I froze — then spotted my actual husband just a few steps away, looking elsewhere. I quickly smiled at the stranger and muttered a shy “sorry!” 
That day, I learned one funny but important lesson — never assume your husband is right next to you in a busy shopping street! 
--Devi BS
