The Big Bag Theory

In one of my early Saturday morning chats with Mother, we talked about bags.  I don't recall how we ended up talking about that.  She told me that when she runs seminars (on Food Safety and the like), she prefers to sling her bag across her body (if the strap is on the left shoulder, the bag will be on her right side) because she is afraid she might walk out of the place without her bag and lose all her stuff.  She added that her participants once asked her what she was doing and she said she was lightening her bag, but then added jokingly that there was no way she could lighten her bags because she was already carrying two ... two eye bags.

I told her that on weekends, as long as my cellphone and wallet can fit into my jeans back pockets, I don't bring around my bag.  I too have a tendency to forget I have a bag.  I told her I tend to bring my envirosax bag around instead because I can fold it up and it fits into my pocket.  

The next day, I put my grocery list in my envirosax bag and slung the bag over my shoulder, rather than folding it up and placing it into my pocket, since it was not empty (there was a sheet of paper in it, remember?).  I went off by foot towards the mall.  I think that was the day I asked the lady about the bottle brush plant.  When we parted ways and she crossed the street heading southeast, at the next green pedestrian light on my side, I went straight heading northeast towards the mall.  In my excitement over the discovery of the name of the plant, I didn't realise that my envirosax was no longer over my shoulder. 

When I discovered my loss, I had already crossed the street!

Oh, no!  This is what Mother was talking about, I thought to myself.  It's true!  You MUST listen to your mother.

So of course, I retraced my steps and crossed back from where I had been.  

Fortunately, my practically empty bag was still on the sidewalk.  I picked it up and hung on to it consciously all the way to the mall.

I have learned my lessons now ... fold the grocery list and put it in one pocket, fold the envirosax bag and put in it in the other pocket, only sling the envirosax over the shoulder when there is something substantial inside.  Better yet, bring the foldable bag which Eldest Sis gave.  That one comes with a hook so the empty bag can be attached to the belt loops of your jeans.