Some things are more exciting to shop for than others, way more fun to buy.
And an easier process, too.
A mattress falls in the not-so-fun and the not-so-simple category, we are inclined to believe.
This is an observation that's easy for me to make, a conclusion easy to draw, based not only on my own personal opinion, but because of Better Half's response to even the thought or suggestion of mattress shopping.
Lord have mercy.
It's amazing how quickly he can forget that we have even talked about maybe stopping somewhere to look at mattresses and how fast he can drive by any store where there is any remote indication that a mattress or two might be part of the store's inventory.
Do we really need one, anyway?
That question comes up with far more frequency than the mattress pursuit itself, of course.
The answer is when the two of you start feeling like you're sleeping in a taco instead of on top of a mattress, it might be time to move "mattress" closer to the top of the things-to-buy-soon list.
I sympathize with his lack of desire, ambition and interest to look for one.
I'm not all that crazy about it either.
After all, it has the "wow" factor of buying a water heater.
Or a battery or a belt for a lawn mower.
Or paint.
Necessity purchases.
Believe me, there are other things I'd rather be spending his money on.
A dozen or two eggs we've saved up for.
Home decor I don't need.
Stuff that has the makings for one heck of a future yard sale.
The weird thing about looking for a mattress is that you have to try one out.
It's sort of like test driving a car.
But if you want to really test a mattress and put it through the is-this-for-us drill, that means you have to lay there and linger a while and toss and turn, on your back and on your sides, preferably without an audience of other shoppers and too many salespeople witnessing the process.
And if you want it to be an authentic experience, you should probably wear your pajamas and take a blanket when you shop for a mattress and do so when you're sleepy.
This way you'll have a better idea if it's the real McCoy.
Maybe even doze off and snore a little.
Maybe have a dream that the mattress is on sale, a really big, great sale -- not a nightmare that you're stuck in a taco, your future uncertain.
Knock on wood (and sleep on it, too) I don't have any snooze issues. I can fall asleep on couches, in chairs, at my desk, on old mattresses and likely a new one, too.
As a couple, though, we'd have to be like Mr. and Mrs. Goldilocks and try out all the mattresses and come to an agreement on which one is best.
No mattress purchase would be wisely made on our part, however, without the input of Herald the Cat.
So after Better Half and I have made our picks about what's the best mattress to get and the right size so he can roll around in his sleep and fight lions, tigers and bears with ease, we'd have to return for shopping round two and round three, feline in hand.
Meow.
These things take time. No rush to mattress judgment.
Remember, we do everything at the speed of Kiaski.
That means we'll get a mattress eventually.
We just have to sleep on it awhile.