There's a new thing in packaging these days, Tony. It's called "words". They don't make you rely on those pesky, embarrassing, misunderstandable drawings any more. The package actually has words on it corresponding with what it is. And to my knowledge, the words that would be used for those two products are different.

Just tryin' to help you out here. :)

And while I'm at it...

Aren't you the one who's supposed to be providing food for the family, working in the field with the sweat on your brow? So what's she doing having to do the grocery shopping? Her job is done - she's been fruitful and multiplied with much pain.

Men. Always interpreting Scripture to put themselves in the best light with the least work.

:D

Planned her shopping better? Methinks it worked out exactly as she had planned. Asking you to pick up said embarassing feminine hygiene product is one of those little useless things women demand from men to prove their love, like buying expensive diamonds and telling them their butt doesn't look big in those jeans.

Oh, you are a slick one aren't you Mikey? Guess you figured if you got the wrong thing, she'd know better than to ask ever again.
By the way, how long have you been married? And this is the FIRST time she's ask you to do this? Me thinks you be lucky man.

Susanna I would agree with you that words on the packaging do help. I think you might be oeverlooking the fact that too many words on those packages can completely make it even more difficult for the man shopping. Do you want this one for mild days, this one with normal days, this one for maxium support days or now there is a choice for plus size women! Some offer even scented deorderant protection.

Give the guy a break, he has just as much trouble finding mens baloons (being gentle in my verbage). He actually tries to please his wife carefuly trying to get the right one to suit his needs to please her!

However, I do agree that men twist about Adam and Eve and how Eve of course messed things up for men not taking into the fact that, He had Free Will too! And what did he do with His Free Will? We women know that answer don't we.

I didn't think it was possible to mistake toe nail polish for bladder control products. PDS

You know, there was a time, for just a little while, when one of the brands puts symbols on all of their stuff - Hearts, clubs, diamonds, spades, a few more. It was really nice. Then they quit. Morons.

While I have never made the mistake of getting something for bladder control (and they are essentially the same thing anyway), I have to point out that no 2 brands use the same words to mean the same thing. "Ultra mega" means something for one brand and something different for another. "Super ultra" is the best for one brand, while for another brand, their best is "absorbo-max". It's almost as bad as sizes in women's clothes.

By the way, consider yourself lucky. It doesn't really bother me to do it for my wife (if she is specific enough) - my mom had me get stuff for her when I was in high school.

I'd rather bear the pads than bear the babies! For added embarrassment, keep her on the phone and then loudly announce each box that you pick up, so you can be sure to get the right one.

I agree with Deoxy on the nomenclature: super-heavy, ultra-absorbent, mega-pad. I don't know how women keep up with it, let alone harried husbands on an errand of mercy.

I heard a funny story about my grandparents from a long time ago. My grandmother asked my grandfather to go buy pads or whatever at the store. So he walks outside, gets to the sidewalk, and turns around and yells loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear, "YOU WANT REGULAR OR SUPER?!"

They're both gone now -- just thinking of this again makes me smile.

I lived in the country as a young girl. We had a big snow storm and my Dad was going to try to make it into town with the 4WD. Mom asked him to pick up some feminine products for me and he agreed. She told him the brand and he took off. Well . . . he got to the store and found a vast selection on the shelves. He had to ask the sales clerk if he could use the phone (this was in the mid 70's - he didn't have the option of using a cell phone!) He was getting more and more confused and the clerk finally told him to give her the phone. She talked to my Mom, went down the aisle, picked out the correct product, came back and rang it up for my Dad. My Dad was not an easliy embarrassed man - but he certainly was that day. Men just did not talk about those things back then! My Mom and I still chuckle about that incident. Bless my Dad for loving me enough to put himself through that!

Once while dating my wife, we were in a town in France and she needed said products. Of course, she spoke not a word of French AND it was a Sunday 20 or so years ago.

Although I was fluent in French, I had never had a need to learn the particular assembly of words needed to ask a clerk for, you know, those things.

It being Sunday, there were zero options to go into a large impersonal store or even a medium size pharmacy. Nope, the only thing open was the french version of a 7-11 (without gas pumps) with the ever present madame to assist you.

I somehow got the message across and when handed the items heard my then girlfriend mutter something about the wrong size or product. I shot her a look of "its this or nothing." She got the point.

Its an odd way to let your guard down quickly.

I still don't like to carry her purse.

Ahh...but we women are constantly having to buy you men your powder for athlete's foot, jock itch, doing your laundry, and bearing your children. The occasional "honey, could you pick up some..." is a small price to pay, don't you think? Plus you get to spend time with an amazing woman when you make those little purchases. C'mon, Tony....you know I'm right.

Well now. . . personal feminine products. . . wow. . . I didn't know that people were actually embarised by that. Its a natural body function, and the pachages actually aren't that hard to understand. As for you women who say that a guy buying those things is a small price to pay for you doing your guys laudry, and what ever else around the house is just annoying. I don't know I guess I was raised different then most people but I go to work everyday and then when I get home I am the one who goes off to do the laudry, I cook the food, clean the house, and my g9irl firend helps me. I think you all need to stop being quite so prude about TAMPAX, its not the strange. also try being a little less lazy, you might like life more.

Bob,
Are your manners and spelling bad because you are European, or because you're in a bad mood?

Don't take it all so seriously, people. We all have things that embarrass us to tears, after all... and yes, it's funny to watch someone else embarrassed by something WE wouldn't have a problem with, isn't it?

Bottom line: Tony had a mildly harrowing experience that he knew many of us would laugh at. Go ahead and laugh, it's good for you.

(Me, I remember a certain ex-girlfriend, many years ago. Her period was late -- due to stress, I'm sure -- just as we were breaking up. She made ME go to the pharmacy -- twice -- for pregnancy tests, and insisted it was only fair that I pay for them. "Since this is basically your fault, Daniel." I gritted my teeth, paid up, and reminded myself that the end was in sight.)

cheers,
Daniel in Medford

Bob Yhahahtarrazzwhatever ruined my joke. :angry: