The Pack Mule is the man a wife takes shopping with him to carry bags and nothing more. She might permit him to voice an opinion on an outfit or two, bit it's for his benefit, not hers. She's picked one specific outfit to let him see to confirm an already-made decision. His opinion doesn't really matter. [...]

The default pattern of shopping, for some reason, involves the man assuming the mantle of Pack Mule while the wife does her business. If you're not going to go that route, you've got to deliberately choose to do otherwise. The Husband experience has to be a mutual decision. That means: talking about it. [...]

A man who despises shopping with his wife is a Pack Mule whereas a man who desires shopping with his wife is a Husband. And believe it or not, he doesn't get to pick his role; it is placed on him by his wife. [...]