Looking for a Hairpin?

While rearranging my closet yesterday, I ran across an old purse that I hadn’t used for a long time and was just about to put it with my other often used handbags when I noticed that it had a small tear right on the front of it. So out it went into the throw-away pile.

You’re probably wondering why I didn’t throw it away when it got torn instead of throwing it back in my closet, aren’t you? Well, that’s the kind of person I am. I can’t bear to throw things away that I like or that I think someone else might use. Call me a keeper. A pack-rat.

Hoarder! 

I have trouble getting rid of things. Mr. H. often remarks that he’s glad I’m like that ‘cause if I weren’t, he might have been gone a long time ago. He’s jesting, of course!  J

Anyhoo, the purse was going now. But first, I had to look through all of the things I’d left in it when I relegated it to the back of the closet.

Mr. H. said, “Why don’t you just throw all that trash away with the purse?”

“Well, that would be silly,” I said. “You know I sometimes find a $20. bill hidden in a zippered compartment of a purse.” Who knows why or when I put them there? Or why I forget about them? But it has happened a few times.”

So I sat down and started taking things out of the purse. I actually did find money: a dime and four pennies – a grand total of 14 cents! Won’t even buy a pack of gum!

Ah, but it was fascinating checking out the things that had been in that old purse for a number of years.

I found:

A cough drop, two packages of Sweet’N Low, a tea bag, a wash and dry “moist disposable towel,” a rubber band, an emery board, (never know when you’ll need one), a mascara wand, an empty prescription bottle – dated 11/29/07, a red and white striped paper clip, an unfilled prescription for some kind of eye drops – can’t read the doctor’s writing, two plastic forks, two knives, a spoon, two napkins and a plastic straw, (you should always be prepared to eat a meal should one be offered), a “save $10. coupon on your next purchase of $50 at Elder-Beerman – valid until 1/4/09,” a voided check to Wal-Mart for $30.97 – dated Dec. 22, 2006, a Poca UMC Joy/Concern Offering Slip, a small address book (none of the numbers are still valid), a receipt from Nitro Supermarket – dated 6/14/06, and last – and also least, a rubber-tipped bobby pin (hairpin). I was excited about this item. It wasn’t so long ago that I looked everywhere for just one hairpin to hold an errant strand of hair away from my face. But there didn’t seem to be one in the house.

Little did I know.

You just never know what’s lurking in your old purses. Take an hour and check them out. Even if you don’t find a forgotten $20. bill or anything else of value, you’ll at least have a laugh or two, stir up some memories...

And be reminded of how quickly the years disappear.

www.amazon.com/author/peggytoneyhorton