Friday, October 22, 2010

The Bag Lady's Breakfast: a tragedy in four acts

Act one - The Choice. It's 7.35am. A nifty a-frame hand bag is chosen by the baglady. (Black leather Oroton, circa 1985, purchased last year for $6.00 at a local op shop)



Act two - The Breakfast. 7.37am. The bag lady pre-packages her start to the day, to be eaten in the office over the morning papers and the early morning emails. It's a mix of three commercial cereals - little cinnamon flavoured bran pillows, toasted muesli made by a colony of Seventh Day Adventists on the north coast & some bran flakes studded with little jewels of dried cranberry, all contained in a minimalist glossy black container that once held won ton soup.



Act three - The Lock Out. 7.39am. The bag will not accept the breakfast. Tears are shed, the next bus is in seven minutes. A decision must be made.



Act four - The Ride. 7.50am. Another bus trip but the bag lady sits on the other side of the bus, pointedly ignoring any great handbag statements that might be uttered on the bus stops outside. Her large bag smirks to itself as it forms a bruise on the bag lady's thigh.