I must have a place for that

I’ve never really been a purse person.

For the longest time in my younger life I used to just carry my wallet around. No over-the-shoulder strap. Nothing large enough to put a hairbrush in and a set of keys.

Back in the day, my camera bags would double for purses during the workday. After all, I am rarely without my camera.

But eventually my wallets be- came a nuisance to carry around in my hand when I’d also be lugging a camera bag and a laptop bag over my shoulder. And so eventually I went with another thing I could strap onto my shoulder – a purse.

I started out with tiny purses, but they were problematic as they couldn’t fit my wallet. Then it was medium size ones. In more recent years I’ve gone to larger size ones that, if need be, I can carry my camera in to decrease the number of bags I’m carrying.

Funny how things versed.

I don’t spend a lot of money on purses. I’m a low- fuss type of person. And I’ve even been have re- known to extend the lifespan of a purse by stapling together any holes in them.

The wallet is still a key component to my life. The one I have now really should have been thrown out about a year ago but I love it. I love all of the compartments it has and I’ve yet, in recent months, been able to find one I like more or just as much to replace it – this, even though the change pocket has turned into a sinkhole. The loonie goes in the change pocket, then it slides through the underbelly of the wallet and comes out in the area where my health card is.

And in case you’re wondering, yes, I have been made fun of by my family.

One day last week my dad stopped by the office looking for some information. I tried finding the information I needed online, then thought maybe I could find a receipt I had in my purse.

He watched as I first pulled out a packaged chicken pot pie that I had yet to put in my mini fridge.

“That’s my lunch,” I said. “Obviously,” was his response. That’s another thing I don’t carry around – a lunchbox.

I kept sorting through the stuff in my purse, going through the “filing system” that works for me while he stood there watching, no doubt thinking it was a miracle I could find anything.

I checked different compart- ments. I checked a notebook I carry around and slide receipts into.

And I probably checked not one, not twice, but three times.

Finally he said, “You mom’s purse is more organized.”

I nodded in agreement, although after he left I felt I that maybe I should have challenged that assertion.

After all, how often is it that mom pulls a complete lunch out of her purse?