October 30, 2009 | 1:23 pm

Condom Shopping

Posted by Ilana Angel

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When was the last time you spent 20 minutes shopping for one thing?  A couch?  A car? A present?  For me it was a pair of shoes.  I wanted gorgeous chocolate brown high heals for my son’s Bar Mitzvah and it took me about 45 minutes to find the perfect pair and it was worth every minute and every penny.  I figure it’s got to be something important if you are going to spend a lot of time looking for it. 

Yesterday I was at Rite Aid picking up a prescription for my son’s allergies and there was a line of people waiting and for the record the Rite Aid at Coldwater and Fulton always has a line and the people who work there are never smiling but I go there even though it’s annoying because it is close to home and there is a Starbucks next door so if I get a cup of tea before I go in it is a little less painful. 

So I’m waiting in line looking around and see that next to the register is a shelf of condoms and I never noticed how many different types of condoms there are but let me tell you something, there are a lot.  I’m looking at the selection and frankly amazed at all the options when a man walks up and starts to study the choices but it was weird because he was not picking up the boxes just reading the front of the packages and he was really focused occasionally crouching down and then standing up and scratching his head.

I was in line for 15 minutes and he was looking at condoms the entire time and I was fascinated and wanted to ask him what he was thinking, what the big decision was or if he needed any help then I got to the front of the line and was disappointed because I wanted to know how long he would stay there and what he would buy so I waited a few minutes to see if he bought anything but he was still just looking and thinking.

Good for him that he is practicing safe sex, or perhaps just dreaming about the day he can practice safe sex.  It’s a curious thing to spend over 20 minutes looking at condoms and by curious of course I mean odd.  The amount of choices I imagine would require some time and consideration but if it were me I might do my research online and then sweep in for the purchase. 

To the interesting and conscientious man who spent so much time researching condoms I wish you well, commend your dedication to making sure you get the perfect item and remind you that when you utilize your purchase, keep the faith.