What's in your Wallet? I hear that and instantly the picture of a Viking yelling pops into my head. His mangy beard down to his chest. His big sword menacing the people running through the mall. Most of us are familiar with the Capital One commercials and the Vikings who ask this question. Has any of us taken this literally and actually looked to see what is in our wallet? More so, what would others think if they saw inside your wallet?
My wallet is located inside a hot pink and gray polka dotted canvas tote embroidered with metallic flowers, rainbows and Barbie. Yes, I said Barbie. I cherish Barbie. Barbie was my most prized toys as a child and I never grew out of her. As an only child, I spent alot of time with Barbie and her many friends. I loved the imagination needed to play Barbie. My Barbies were inspiring. They were Astronauts, Pop Stars, Cowgirls, working women and fashionable. I stopped playing with her in elementary school, but saved some of my favorites. As an adult, I discovered a whole new Barbie. A collector Barbie. To date, I have 84 Barbies. All of them still in their boxes. I adore each and every one of them! My bag is a token of who I am. Barbie is a big part of my life and I share that with my daughters who also share my love of Barbie. So much that my oldest daughter used her own money to purchase the bag for me for Christmas. Would someone know this just by seeing my bag? Of course not. At first sight it may look like an eleborate school bag for a young girl. It does double duty for me as a school bag too. My large hard bound Algebra book, journal and grid paper pad is stuffed inside, making the bag heavier that it should be.
My wallet is ordinary. Black leather with pink trim. It contains the basic boring old wallet stuff. My license showing I live in Everett, Washington with my age and my lower-than-truth weight, my debit card from a small Credit Union in Portland, Oregon, a library card with five smaller versions. All the small ones with names of my kids written on them as their back up cards. There is a pink picture of my girls taken about eleven years ago with they were one and three. Would you think I was the mother of small children? Would you wonder where the extra pacifier, baby wipes or ointments are? Instead I am the mother of two teenagers, two pre-teens and a seven year old. The whole wallet is fat with a multitude of receipts. Most of them from Safeway. From any other store, you might think I am addicted to shopping. Maybe I have a grocery shopping addiction? With seven in our family, I grocery shop alot. Would you notice the amount of juices, bread and lunch meat I buy? I make lunch and brown bag it for five kids every school day. But why so many receipts? I have no proper answer to that other than remembering my high school Economics teacher drilling into me the importance of keeping receipts. I am almost fearful of getting rid of them and never do until I see the transaction has cleared the bank. Maybe I am simply a receipt hoarder.
The next big item is my pink plastic make up bag. Maybe by now you have caught on to the fact that pink is my favorite color. The bulging bag is barely able to zip although is only contains the needed essentials. One powder, one mascara, one eyeliner, one lipstick, one lipstain, one lipliner, one lipgloss. I need options and options are essential. Maybe all this envokes images of Drew Barrymore in flashing lights and overdone lips like her Covergirl commercial, but honestly, I am more of a mascara, clear lipgloss and a loose, lazy braid type of girl.
Lost in the dark land of the bottom of my purse is pens, pencils, mints, a travel size bottle of Tylenol, bobby pins and change. Seems ordinary enough to me. The pens are from The Everett Clinic in Everett, Washington, Clara's Ceramics in Gresham, Oregon and C&C Hair Design in Bullhead City, Arizona. Would you think of me as well traveled? I live in Everett and took one of my kids to the doctor last month and picked up a free purple pen while I was there as my Clara's pen doesn't work anymore. It's a momento from my late Grandpa would ordered too many for their business. I have been home in the Pacific Northwest for two years from Bullhead City and miss my hair stylist Claire. She's a miracle worker and I have never found another stylist so wonderful, so I hang on to her pen in hopes of locating her kindred spirit up here.
The side pocket of my tote contains headphones and my Ipod. Would you plug it in and see what it contains? Would you be surprised at the amount of eighties songs? It would seem I hold on to the past. Holding on to last year's Starbucks gift card, old receipts, old pens, old lip gloss, and an old toy from my childhood. Holding on to what you love is who you are.
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