I’m glad I’m not the only one who wonders this! I incorporated this into a scene in my first book. I liked it so much that it’s one of the few memes I’ve decided to try and carry forward into other works.

The purse was truly hideous. Giant. Brown. Leather. Embroidered. Straps and buckles all over the place. It might as well have had the words “World’s Best Soccer Mom” stitched into it instead of that goofy flower pattern. She started her inventory on the outside with the small pockets and compartments and worked her way toward the middle.

The small pockets were filled primarily with detritus: fruit-flavored gum, Altoids, aspirin, pens, pencils, small pads of paper, a lone hoop earring, hair bands and a key that looked like it went to a diary-sized lock. Weird, but very soccer mom.

The two large compartments in the middle held all of the interesting stuff. A half-used checkbook and register showed that Mary Webb had a membership at a popular women’s gym and a semi-regular appointment with an overpriced masseuse. The checkbook was one of those combo-wallet deals and had roughly $1,500 in cash and another $500 in traveler’s cheques, as well as her new ID and a small assortment of credit cards. One card in particular looked extremely well-used and had a small sticky note attached: “Think of the interest rate! Are you sure?”

Mmmm-kay.

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By Rick O on 04.22.09 10:08 am | Permalink

My character Jeff would only carry the bare essentials. nothing that would say too much about him, he won’t carry a credit card, nothing that can trace him to any place. He carries cash and one picture of his mom. He keeps his life a huge secret. Nichole carries a boy’s wallet. She has pictures and a credit card. She is a college students so doesn’t carry around cash, but a first year college student so she would have a lot of pictures of her friends from high school and all the dances she went to. she has a lot of pictures of her brothers and mom.

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By Brenna on 04.22.09 10:12 am | Permalink

Rick I love that! I love the imagery. I can totally see my self with that huge bag, it sounds like most of what is inside my diaper bag, except the cash! I wish!!!!

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By Brenna on 04.22.09 10:16 am | Permalink

I am actually having to write book bags right now… and the funny part is my character is totally disorganized so she has randomness in there at all times. Her best friend on the other hand is one of those people that carries a notebook that has matching pencils and all that sort.

I am having fun with things like cell phones, too… I think your cell phone says a lot about you.

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By Jamie on 04.22.09 10:21 am | Permalink

My MC walks around with a knife strapped to her ankle (making airports inconvenient) and cash shoved in her pocket. She does run around a bit during the novel with a backpack that holds a change of clothes, tampons, and Twizzlers. She’s not sentimental so once she’s done with something, she leaves it behind.

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By Joyce Wolfley on 04.22.09 11:13 am | Permalink

Sam (Legends) carries a wallet, when she remembers to grab it, and it has a picture of her with her parents and brother, an emergency credit card, debit card, DL, and her Cherokee Nations Blue Card. Sometimes cash. No purse. No make up. Most times she stuffs cash in her back pocket.

Andrew carries a wallet and his badge. In his wallet he has a picture of his mom, his grandpa, Paw-pa, and him when he was eight, he has a debit card, and each night he takes out his receipts and puts them in a shoe box in his closet. His DL, CNBC, and County ID. On his phone, he has a picture of Sam, one she doesn’t know about.

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By Sarah on 04.22.09 3:48 pm | Permalink

My character, Zili, doesn’t carry around anything normal like a wallet or first-aid kit. She cannot be parted with her six blades: two scimitars, katanas, and rapiers. Oh yeah, she also carries a magical amulet called the Amulet of Arslania around with her to help her to summon the spirits of the elements and to evoke their powers.

Ceylan

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By Ceylan on 04.22.09 7:08 pm | Permalink

Wow Ceylan. She sounds hard-core! She’d definitely kick my MC’s butt and her measly ankle knife!

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By Joyce Wolfley on 04.22.09 7:19 pm | Permalink