Sunday 4 May 2008

The Last Purse



I have just decided I need to change my purse. This is what happens when you fall asleep for most of the afternoon and now I'm still awake at 4am
Now I realise that this is not the most sexy, exciting or controversial topic for a blog post. Even describing it as mundane could be overhyping it somewhat. However to me it is a noteworthy decision.

The purse I am using is the very same purse that my friend Vicky gave 4 years ago, when I first revealed myself to her as Jenny (not in that way!). Greater significance is that this was the first present anyone had given to me as Jen. For that, it is important to me. So dispensing with its services has some personal significance. However I have for sentimental reasons used it long past it's usable lifespan. The purse has served me well. It has carried out it's monetary securing duties fairly well, as long as I remembered to zip it up. The lurid pink/lilac colour has also been easy to spot, when it was too often misplaced. The faux crocodile texture has also enabled it to be easily identified by touch, when rummaging through my chaotically stuffed handbag, in the dark. I must admit, that I'm not sure there actually are any breeds of crocodile in this colour. The reason for the change is not due to my turning 40, which I am still using as a self-justification for every minute life decision. No, it's just that the zip is a bit sticky and all my change ends up in the bottom of my handbag, so when I walk, I clink like the slots on Blackpool front.

I have never restricted my purse to just cash and the odd credit card. It has over time held much of my life's detritus. Currently it contains


£2.83p in various coinage ; A £10 note
Cashpoint card ; Credit card style driving license ; Makro card in old name ; Staples account card for Unison ; Used return rail ticket to Manchester ; Ticket from Joseph musical ;
4 union business cards ; Final Reminder for Council Tax payment, in Red ; Repeat prescription for Hormones and Ventolin ;
Handwritten receipt for my car bought last September ; Receipt from Evans for Skirts and Formal Jerseys ; 2 Paying in counterfoils for cheques deposited ; 3 Computers for School vouchers from Tesco ; Receipt from Argos for an Air Bed ; Strip of Paracetamol tablets.
and finally a Friendship card from Vicky.
I'm not sure what insight this motley list of content gives about my life. Only to demonstrate how much I relied on my purse.
So farewell pink crocidile purse.

4 comments:

Billy Whizz said...

Right you started it. My wallet currently contains the following:

4 Cash or credit cards
A list of websire I need to change my email address on.
Blood donor card
BA Executive Club cardNHS European insurance card
Organ donor card (pity the boor bugger)
Driving license
Offshore working certification card
A 516MB memory stick
5 business cards
A fuel reciept
A meal reciept
A visitors card for Wilton petrochemical site
50 Euros
80 quid
370 Mauritian Rupees

Now get weirder than that lot

Penny M said...

Not quite as weird but here goes...
£28.30
3 Cash/credit cards
Driving licence
Book of stamps
AA Membership card
Sainsbury's 5p off petrol voucher
An old Royal Mail special delivery receipt
8 of my business cards
Business card of the dealer I bought my car from
Business card of another car dealer
Two different restaurant's cards - one in Liverpool, the other in Teddington
Card for the local hospital Breast Cancer ward
Bea Richard's envelope with the Roses Christmas Party details
Two old Pay-and-display tickets

Jenny Harvey said...

Bill-ooo get you with your BA Executive Club. Unless BA stands for Bald Athiests, which is a club that would suit you...and your stick is pitifully small

Penny-How organised are you, with arrangements for a Christmas Party as early as May!
Are you a really fussy diner, with Restaurants in Liverpool and Teddington, with nothing in between!

At least if there is a world banking collapse we could muster £121.33p between us. I am not sure that take Mauritian Rupees at our local Oatcake shop

Anonymous said...

Hey Jen..

Im sure its not as interesting as the above but here goes.

Lloyds bank card.
R.A.C membership card
Snowdome card.
Gala bingo card (hmmm)
NHS tax card.
Tesco receipt for £16.90
Aldi receipt for £17.17
£35 in notes
£1.93 in change
A note from Beth
Some sand.....???
A friendship card from Jen
....and one from Sam

And finally some more sand!!???

Vic xxx