During one of the early lockdowns in 2020 I developed a habit of walking to Supervalu every other morning to buy things I didn't need. It was the closest I could get to retail therapy. The only place that I could go that brought any element of newness to my day. I'd buy myself and Ciaran a few beers or a bottle of wine, maybe some chocolate or a fancy cheese, and that would be our treat for the day. Something to differentiate it from the previous day.
I decided at one point that I needed a decent backpack because it was uncomfortable to carry the beers and bottles home in in standard shopping bags. I’m short, and shopping bags are long, and they tend to drag along the ground unless I keep keep my arms in a tense shortened position. I did my research. A Jansport backpack was just what I needed. I signed up for the waiting list because the exact style I wanted was sold out. I bided my time patiently. When it came back in stock, I coughed up. They're not dirt cheap, and the one I bought had a water bottle pocket on the side which was a premium add-on. I wear it everywhere. It’s my gym bag, shopping bag, overnight bag, even hiking bag (I know I should use my actual hiking backpack but I hate all the fuss. Why are there so many straps?)
For my birthday last week I went out for dinner with my friends. They kindly gave me a gift of an incredibly classy and expensive looking Rains backpack. When I said "oh!", half pleased, half confused, they said "yeah we noticed that you don't have a backpack! Well, sorry, you have a backpack, but it's that just that ratty old Jansport thing! We got you a nice one!"
“Oh!” Less confused this time, more manic widening of the eyes to look delighted. “Yeah god. Hate that ratty aul yoke, hah!”
