The Perfect Purse

I don't even remember what year I bought the purse but I remember where. It was at the Oshkosh, Wisconsin St. Vincent de Paul store and I remember who I was with, my friend Norma. It was a black leather purse, on sale for a dollar. It was love at first sight.

Every purse had pockets but this purse had all the pockets in the right places. My patent leather wallet and checkbook fit in the deepest part of the purse. In a pinch (like when I'm trying to carry on as much as I can when I take a flight), my notebook computer can go in there. There was a little zippered pocket in the back of that area for my business cards. In the next pocket at the front there was a space for clip on pens and a small sudoku book plus a zippered pocket for makeup.

A leather flap came over those areas. The interior of that flap held a comb, a small brush and a pair of glasses. The exterior held a small notebook and more pens, including a Sharpie I could whip out should I need to sign a book or two.

At the back of the purse another zippered place for my passport and other important travel papers.

The purse had a thick adjustable strap that made the purse perfect to hang over my shoulder. With a quick adjustment, it went over my head and crossed my chest, making it nearly impossible for a purse snatcher to grab without taking me with it.

There was only one flaw. On the strap was a pouch for a cell phone. Unfortunately, the old cell phone I had didn't fit there, so I either kept the phone in my pocket or shoved it into one of the front pockets, that is until Gary bought me a new cell phone this spring. Now everything fit fine but by then the purse was wearing out. The fine leather was wearing thin, looking gray in spots. The snap on the front flap no longer snapped. Pieces of leather were poking out at weird angles.

That purse had been traveling with me for years through one trip to China, two to Canada and countless states here in the USA. I began looking for an identical replacement at least two years ago. I found the purse by surfing the Internet through places like E-bay and Craig's List, but it seemed silly to replace a purse I bought for a dollar with one that would cost me at least $30 plus shipping and handling. It was back to the thrift shops and yard sales. I looked everywhere. The purse section was the first place I hit. I went to every St. Vincent de Paul store I could find from Mississippi to Michigan, from Washington State to Colorado.(I haven't been east lately.) Goodwill and Salvation Army stores had my attention, too.

In February in Jacksonville, Illinois, I was heading to the purse section at a St. Vinnie's where I came upon a woman with the exact same purse going through piles of purses. She, too, was looking for a replacement. With more than me looking for the perfect purse, what chance did I have?

But today, in Florence, Wisconsin, EUREKA!! There was the perfect purse. It was three dollars, which Gary said was way too much to replace a dollar purse, but I had to have it. Not only was it the same purse, it was new. It had never been used.

I am now changing over contents to my brand new perfect purse. I may keep the old one though. We've been through so much together and who knows? I may need a replacement a decade from now. A few stitches, a new snap and some polish.....