What’s in Your Purse/Pocket?

Dear Mom,

If you were alive, I’d have you dump out your purse so I could see what’s in it. 

Writer and critique friend, Sioux shared some food for thought by asking what would one of the characters in my story (that the group has graciously agreed to read in its entirety) have in her pocket or purse?

For starters, I decided to dump out the contents of my purse and take a look. I had downsized to a smaller purse so I wouldn’t be carrying around unneeded, extra things. The bigger the purse, the more one stuffs into it, right? And even in the downsized purse I was surprised to find so much. Here’s my list:

·      checkbook

·      mini composition notebook

·      3 pens (I sighed with relief because one time I didn't have a single pen in my purse!)

·      cell phone

·      pack of Bubblemint gum (my favorite)

·      tiny bottle of lotion (from recent visit at the Dermatologist)

·      tiny tube of lotion (from same visit)

·      car faub

·      2 gift cards (from hubby)

·      a coupon  (hair salon)

·      3 bandaids (which I’ve discovered I’m allergic to)

·      cash/coins (usually I have no cash, and just noticed the 2012 penny)

·      small wallet (when you have a small purse, you carry small things)

·      2 lip glosses

·      panty liner

·      fingernail file

·      scandisk usb thingy

·      tissues

·      dental floss

·      3 chewed pieces of gum wrapped in gum wrapper

·      appointment card with list on back

·      6 loose gum wrappers

·      2 bobby pins

·      receipt from restaurant

·      hand santizer

If I were to take a peek in my pockets, I’m sure I’d find a tissue and chapstick. I’ll confess, I’m a chapstick/tissue addict. I'm not sure what all of this says about me.

Now I’d like you to dump out your purse or pockets and share with me what is in there.

Please. 

I’m curious is all, and well… it might help me with my story. If I use some item from your purse, I’ll make sure to mention you in the acknowledgements. How's that for a bribe?

I may want to disqualify my older sister because whatever you might need—anything—and you ask her, she’ll pull it out of her purse. I kid you not. 

She’d be a winner on that one game show, The Price is Right. Every now and then the host of the show would call out to the audience asking for some odd item found in a purse and they'd get some money. “Who has a blue screwdriver in the shape of a bird in their purse?” I’d see my sister jump up, “I do! I do!”

Oh, and in case you're wondering what that pink thing is pinned on my purse... a vagina pin, made by my daughter, Rita to support her sister, Jessica and her nonprofit organization, AlphaWom. But the pins became a hit for women diagnosed with cervical cancer too... thanks to Shelley!

So what’s in your wallet/purse/pocket?