Things I'm Giving to the Thrift Store: The "Check in My Bag" Edition

On August 22 2005, I had my first date with J.  Two weeks later, when things were still all new and unsettled, we were going to go to the Fontana raceway for the Nascar races on both Saturday (the Busch league race) and Sunday (the big race).  J came over to my place the night before and we went bowling with some of my friends.  This was a pivotal night for several reasons.  First, it was the last time J drank.  Second, it was the first, and last, time I saw J seriously drunk.  Third, he tried to make out with me in the frozen aisle at Ralph's when we went to pick up snacks to take along to Nascar after the bowling adventure.  He was all drunk and silly, hanging on to me and saying things like, "You're not my chick.  You're my Woman," real serious-like.  Fourth, he was completely hung over all weekend, and realized that if he wanted to keep me, he was going to have to quit drinking - thus, it was the last time he drank.

The other funny thing about that night was the fact that a second guy showed up who I was sort of crushing on at the same time, and J could pick up on it, so he challenged the guy to a bowling duel, and broke a score of 200, his best ever.  I just sat there and watched, amused.

So how this relates to the bag is: earlier on in the evening, before the drinking and bowling duels started, he was going to play a video game or something, and asked me if I had any change.  I was in mid-bowl, and I told him to check in my wallet, in my bag.  So he reached under the seat, grabbed my bag, and looked inside, all natural-like.  This is a pretty big step in any relationship - especially with an only-child-protective-of-my-space kind of person like me. The fact that it felt totally natural to have him digging around amidst my makeup and tampons kind of freaked me out, but was proof of how natural it was to have that kind of closeness with him.

I stopped using the bag a week or so after the Nascar race, but kept it for the sentimental value.  It's been through several rounds of cuts, and has survived every one, but the time has come for this sentimental gem to go.  But before getting rid of it, we decided to stage a re-enactment of the Inaugural Bag-Rooting Session.  

The bag is now at the thirft store, but this picture will live on in cyberspace forever, commemorating the momentous occasion.