Edit: first half deleted itself because Apple.

I am in china with wife. We go shopping with inlaws. I can't speak Chinese.

Don't know the address of where I am or where I am staying. no phone, no internet, no English, no cash. Mistakes 1 to 5 respectively.

My old shoes are in tatters, and we decide to go shopping because I was too lazyjust go out and buy my own fucking shoes back when I was in Australia. Mistake no. 6.

Absolute disaster. I didn't like any of the shoes, they were all too small and not my style. Meek protests are with insists that I need new shoes today because we've been invited to a dinner. End up buying a pair that fit just to get it over with. Mistake no. 7.

Wear them right away. After a few minutes walking around for another pair of shoes (wife insisted we buy more than 1 new pair), the shoes start to rub the back of my ankles and hurt.

Looking at another pair, again too small, seller goes to find a bigger size. Realize all too late that fuck this. These shoes hurt, I don't want anything here, I should just go buy my own fucking clothes like I usually do. Tell wife to get a refund and I'm not getting any shoes today and that I want to leave.

She gets upset, refuses to speak any English. Cancels dinner and we get a taxi home.

The last time I felt so hopeless was when I was eight and shopping with my mother.

Am I right in just avoiding any of these situations (shopping at the mall) entirely in future, and just shopping on my own. Or is that just my autism showing?

Bonus beta-ness. She asked that I leave my laptop back in aus because there wouldn't be enough room in the suitcase to carry everything. Had to write this on her parents apple thing.