If you could be a character from a book or film, who would you be? Why?
A couple of decades ago, when tiny hobo bags were all the rage I had a mini collection of bags in various shapes sizes, and colors. The sibling spent a mini-fortune selecting and picking up some amazing stuff from Dharavi- the source of made-in-India articles, and I used to bum most of her stuff from her. I was super fashionable because I had an amazing stylist – make that two, the older and the younger siblings have superb taste and I used to shine in borrowed garments. Clothes, shoes, and bags- I had designs and styles in multiple sizes and color options. And I had a sturdy pair of black Mary Janes. My only complaint with being fashionable was the choice I had to make on what went into my handbags.
And then the kid was born. The tiny handbag was no longer sufficient. I rediscovered the use of backpacks and the value of carrying along foldable tote bags. I have never gone back to the tiny clutches and handbags I used to carry. I had to accommodate a lot more in the limited space I had in the backpacks and became proficient in my packing style. Food, snacks, cold water, hot water, spoons, mixing bowls, cereal containers, wet wipes, bibs, diapers, tissues, hand towels, changing mats, spare pouches to safely cart away the soiled diapers and clothes, covering cloth, stole, spare diapers, spares of clothes for adults, sanitary pads, medicines, rash cream, sunscreen, mosquito repellant ointments, calamine lotion, pram covers, pram lining cloth, stole and blanket – at some point I have accommodated all of these and some more in the bag that I used to lug around.
Have you ever had a kid throw up on you when you were out and about? Not at all an ideal situation and one that ensured I always carried a spare change of clothes for myself as well, while out and about. I carry old newspapers that can alternate as floor seating, to remove dirt off the footwear so the vehicle does not stink up, wrap, and throw soiled diapers, or even discard leftover food. Slowly but surely, the number of items in that backpack grew. The weight had to be well below 7 kilograms so I could also carry the kid around, but the bag had to have spares as well. I even managed to accommodate the laptop and a tablet into the bag on a longer journey.
When the kid was about 4 years old, I rewatched the movie Mary Poppins along with the kid. We loved the songs and the dances and the jumping into paintings on the sidewalk and visiting a carnival, drinking the tea upside down and the spoonful of sugar. We did not care too much about making the medicine go down, the sugar was sufficient to get feet up so we could be marionettes, but no complaints. The non-descript carpet bag Mary Poppins traveled with was stupefying in all that it contained! Everything from a lampshade to her clothes and room decorations to stuff the kids would need came out of it. Both the kid and I were super impressed and ever since then, I have tried to accommodate everything that I require in my tiny backpack. I would love to own a carpet bag that was as roomy as the one Mary Poppins had, but I’ve created a replica of my own that’s personalized to my specific requirements.
I have looked for and researched packing cubes zip locks and tiny pouches and I appreciate the fact that these packing cubes and pouches can help isolate and organize your bag. I’ve even tried a version of this, but I find that these tiny pouches and cubes end up taking up more space and adding a few extra grams to my bag. I am not Mary Poppins, so I don’t have her magical powers to lug the bag around, so I keep things limited to the amount I can lift by myself.
It’s taken some time, a lot of effort, and some major refinement, but now, I am confident that I will always have what I require in this little bag of mine. So usually, the family first enquires with me before they venture to look elsewhere for things. My bag of mystery contains a spare set of clothes, socks, reading material, chargers, headphones, drawing material, snacks, water if it’s a local journey, and chocolates and gum if it’s a flight or maybe it’s moisturizers, mosquito repellents, band-aids, nail files, hair ties, or slides, spectacles, vaseline, sunscreens, and shades or caps, or just the cloth to clean your glasses. Odds are if it’s that tiny elusive but imperative object you need just now, you may find it in my bag.
“Never judge things by their appearance, even carpet bags.”
Mary Poppins
The kids are older and yes, they can be the hands that lug the bag. And yes, that would mean they would know where to find what they are looking for. But this is their time to learn that everything is possible even the impossible and nothing is gone forever, only out of place. It’s just a backpack pretending to be a carpet bag. Practically perfect in every way.
Just a little more 