In my case it might be easier to ask what I do not keep in my handbag – a grandfather clock, a canteen of cutlery, a Dalmatian dog, a toy boy (wishful thinking!) What I do keep is invaluable, though some items are more in demand than others. It is a bit like a three-drawer filing cabinet. The ‘top drawer’, has items that fall into the vital frequently used category – keys, specs, mobile and wallet. The ‘middle drawer’ holds items in moderate demand – pen, tissues, hairbrush, lip salve and tatty shopping lists. Items in the ‘bottom drawer’ are rarely used but are invaluable when they are required – lozenges for tickly coughs, paracetamol and of course in my case, (being circulatorily challenged), handwarmers.
Although men often deride women for carting their oversized handbags around, they are only too happy to ask, “could you just pop this in your bag please?” oblivious to the size or weight of the object. Huh, surprisingly a broadsheet newspaper, tin of soup and a cauliflower will not all fit into my handbag! Similarly, are the irritating requests such as “have you got a pen/piece of paper/laptop/three course meal” or whatever takes their fancy at the bottom of your bag? If you say “no”, the poor wee soul will look at you incredulously as the light dawns that they may have to resort to carrying some sort of bag themselves, thus incurring the back and neck ache the fairer and supposedly weaker sex have tolerated for years!
