When I was 4 years old I loaded a handmade pink
loop knit cardigan, a bag of regular Hostess potato chips, a 12-pack of colored
markers, 200 see-through plastic bingo chips, and black boxing gloves into my yellow
and orange Tuff Stuff shopping cart and wheeled it everywhere I went around the
house. Supremely satisfied with having everything I could possible need at my
finger tips, I rolled boldly into the living room and stopped in front of the TV,
declaring, “When grow up, I’m going to live out of my shopping cart. It carries
everything, and I’ll never be stuck in one place.” Both the volume and the length of their
collective response flushed my face red. After the unanimous outburst of laughter,
the subsequent reasoning subsided, I realized one important thing that day.
There were two choices: Toughen up or keep your dreams to yourself.
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| It turns out I don’t have any photos of myself at 4, so here’s one of me
right around my 3rd birthday in my auntie’s backyard in Edinburgh. Found the exact cart for sale on eBay, Tuff Stuff by Mattel. (Nope, not the actual gloves at top either. 0 for 3, I certainly struck out on photos tonight.) |
Although I still love the cart, experience
has taught me it lacks practicality for impromptu trekking. I’ve been fixated
on getting this
trench coat for a while (
18 pockets! I could hit the
road without a backpack.) But I don’t think what I what I really want exists
yet. I want a coat like this that turns into a bag with the pockets still
accessible (yeah,
SCOTTeVEST had a bag coat combo before, but not one that you can use
without shifting your stuff out of the pockets). I'd love to be wrong so if there is a one like that out
there, I’d be much obliged if you drop a comment and let me know.
