Ouch!

I haven't been a very good girl today. *inserts appropriately repentant expression

You see, whenever I step into a mall, there are two places I never skip. The shoe boutique and the bookstores. In a precautionary gesture to avoid imminent bankruptcy, a private psychotherapy session goes on in my head.

For instance, when a pair of sexy heels catches my eye, the girl in me goes into hyper mode, my eyes shine and I get the Gollum syndrome..But as I reach out to reverently finger soft leather, luxurious velvet or a glittering gem, I ask myself :-

#1 : Do I want it?
Heck yea ! *drools

#2 : Do I need it?
No....

#3 : Does my allowance permit an indulgence such as this?
No...

#4 : Do I have the heart to deprive some deserving charity cause and instead donate to the already overflowing coffers of an already established designer?
No...

#5 : If I were banished to an exile island and only permitted to carry 3 things would this be one of them?
No..

#6 : Do I have 9 pairs of feet to utilize all the shoes I already own?
No..

Having justly psycho-ed myself, I snatch the errant finger away and force myself to walk away

At my next stop the bookstore, I again get that not-so-kindly gleam in my eye, my hands develop a life entirely their own and run together in ill-suppressed glee, a chuckle escapes my lips already curved in a grin. Invariably, I pick up a few treasures and weigh each against the other based on author, plot, cover design (aesthetic value has the word value in there for a reason you know..) and thickness (the thicker the better) and of course the same round of questions are fired :-

#1 : Do I want it?
Heck yea ! *drools

#2 : Do I need it?
No....

#3 : Does my allowance permit an indulgence such as this?
No...

#4 : Do I have the heart to deprive some deserving charity cause and instead donate into the already overflowing coffers of an already established author/publishing house?
No...

#5 : If I were banished to an exile island and only permitted to carry 3 things would this be one of them?
No..

#6 : Do I have 9 sets of brains and 90 hours in a day to finish reading all that I already have?
No..

Having justly psycho-ed myself, I snatch up the book and proceed to the counter to make my payment.

Not one...not two...but THREE!!

"Oops...I did it again"...and again...and again

People, if I ever go out with you do me a big favour and drag me away from them stores will you? Even if I scream bloody murder drag on, I promise I'll explain very nicely to the police if you get arrested. Now, excuse me but I have a date with the wall. My common sense needs some hammer-therapy...