On childhood essentials, hard lessons learned, and the day I forgot my purse at the Howard Johnson’s

A girl never forgets her first purse.

Purses. I love ‘em. As a child I was desperate to own one. My mother’s was red leather, with an adjustable strap and a gold clasp.  My grandma’s was as big as a mailbox. A square, black thing, faux alligator- skin, with two short handles. My mother’s friends all had them, made of denim cloth, white vinyl and even straw. It seemed like everyone had a purse- Big bags with leather fringe slung casually over shoulders. Small, sparkly bags clutched daintily in hands. Oh how I wanted one of those lovely treasures to call my own!

My dream came true on my birthday when I was five or six. I became the proud owner of a girl-sized purse all my own. Tan, with brown trim and a silver buckle.  I wasn’t allowed to take it to school, but I took it everywhere else. I filled it with all the usual essentials, a handful of Kleenex, the contents of my piggy bank, a few stubby pencils and a pack of Beeman’s Gum my grandma gave me. I strapped it sideways across my body like a Girl Scout sash, a true badge of honor.

Me and my purse. July, 1969

The summer I got my purse, we went on a family vacation to Lake George. On the way home, we stopped to eat at a Howard Johnson’s restaurant (which in and of itself was a huge deal. We rarely ate anywhere except at home). The only problem was that I couldn’t shove close enough to the table with my purse strapped on, so I had to take it off and set it on the floor beside my chair.

 By the time I realized I had left my beloved purse in the restaurant we were halfway home, and no amount of crying would make my father turn the car around. Dad said I had to learn to be responsible with my things. Mom promised to get me a new purse. But I was not to be consoled. I didn’t want a new purse.  I wanted my stubby pencils and my Beeman’s Gum. I wanted my little tan purse!

I learned a hard lesson that day.

Many years have come and gone since then and that little girl has seen a lot of changes. Howard Johnson’s is a thing of the past, and you don’t see Beeman’s Gum so much anymore. I still love purses, and I’ve owned too many to count.  These days they carry cell phones, debit cards and car keys.

But like cars, kisses and puppies, a girl never forgets her first.