Merit on the "Man Bench"

When my wife and I were still dating I didn't mind going to stores or shopping malls. At one time I even used to go into the stores with her rather than sit outside on the "man bench". Now, there are few things I enjoy less than wasting my time by going shopping. I am thankful for the internet since I can buy almost anything I need without leaving my home.

Before leaving for our vacation I took Akiva's recommendation and bought a small MP3 player that could easily fit in my pocket. I also purchased some MP3 CDs from Shuvu Bonim and downloaded a few hours worth of Rabbi Nassan Maimon's Likutey Moharan shiurim. With my new MP3 player tucked away in my pocket during our vacation, I suggested to my wife that we go to the small boutiques to shop while my parents watched the kids.

My wife enjoyed looking in all the shops for a few hours while I sat and waited patiently outside in the beautiful weather. In the end everyone was happy.

I sure wish I knew about this technology earlier that allowed me to find the merit on the "man bench".