There were two things I was known best amongst my friends when I was single - firstly that I hated shopping and secondly that I could drink any son of a gun under the table. Both these qualities made me quite popular with my guy friends who shared my aversion to malls and loved to part other guys of their money by having a drinking bet with me.

My drinking days obviously stopped once I passed out of college and began to work but my aversion to shopping continues till date. Despite living just a few blocks away from one of the biggest malls of America I cannot bring myself to rub shoulders with fellow humans in the crowded mall nor do I like to discuss my needs with some pert saleswoman.

Recently, while visiting a store in the Magnificent Mile district in Chicago I got waylaid by a lady dressed in a real fur coat. She tried to pass me a leaflet on the store and asked me to feel the soft fur. The old fox even smiled at my husband and told him that a little pelt might make his wife happy.

I stared into her old wrinkly face and wanted to turn tail and run. It wasn’t as if she was forcing me into the store but the pressure of trying to politely reject a fellow being made my old nemesis reappear.

Once in a while I suffer from Social Anxiety especially when a stranger catches me off guard or tries to make friendly conversation. I, however tend to clam up and look for the nearest exit points.

The fur lady cootchie-cooed my kids and tried to herd us into the store. I felt crowded and smiled at her rather sickly.

“No thank you” I muttered and tried to step away.

She raised a faded eyebrow and pressed a little more, “Honey, you just have to see the marvelous furs.”

I stared at Aaman, hoping that he would stop the barracuda from herding me in. He put his arm around my waist and pulled me away from the lady.

“We are in a hurry. Maybe, next time.” He smiled politely and wheeled me away.

I breathed a sigh of relief and we continued our window shopping.

If you happen to ask Aaman whether I like shopping he would probably tell you that I love shopping but not in person. I get fidgety in front of cashiers when they ask for my zip code or phone number or try to make some sort of inane conversation.

I hate making polite conversations with strangers and prefer to hide behind a over priced blouse in a store or a newspaper in a bus than make eye contact or general chit chat with people.

So where do I shop?

Online of course, I grab my cup of tea, curl up on the couch and shop on Amazon.com.

Apart from general stuff like books (that I buy at least two to three per week) one can even buy all kinds of items from clothes, kitchen stuff to even dildoes and other adult products not only from Amazon but also from their affiliates.

Even when I’m not in the mood to buy, it still feels nice to be able to click on things that catch my fancy and put them in my wish list. I can visit my wish list time and time again and decide whether I want to buy any of the products without a sales person breathing down my neck or have a restless husband trying his best not to tell me to ‘hurry it up’.

I’ve bought a number of things from Amazon itself but recently I found myself buying oil paintings from an Amazon affiliate- Malovani Designs

Initially I was a little apprehensive and it felt as if I stepped into a shady arts gallery and was going to be the sucker of the century. But the store was prompt in its delivery and the paintings were beautiful.

While shipping in Amazon is always convenient and is free for Prime Members, the one thing that I wished they would include in their virtual sale racks would be booze.

I realize that may not work out for them, but I would seriously like to buy my Bailey's without the tax as I do my books, paintings and kitchen gadgets.

That being said, I enjoy shopping for liquor as here in Ohio we have drive through liquor stores that look like car-washes stacked with booze. We gently drive our cars in, place our order the attendant who loads it up in the trunk, swipes the card and we drive out.

No unnecessary verbal interaction happens, eye contact is to the minimum and the service is quick and we drive back home where I take sips of my Bailey's, add stuff to my wish list with a slightly tipsy smile and wish that all my shopping experiences were this cozy.