A Fairy Tale

Once upon a time there was a woman named Robin who was capable of efficiently moving in and out of stores because she didn't need to buckle and unbuckle children from car seats, stop to pick up shoes that toddlers accidentally had kicked off, or break up arguments over whose turn it was to stand at the helm of the grocery cart.

She carried no diaper bag.  She merely kept her car keys and some money in her pocket -- or demurely clutched in her hand.  Often she also carried a lipstick.  She was carefree, unencumbered, and did I mention that she was very, very quick while running errands?

She was very, very quick while running errands.

Now Robin carries a bag most places, except when she forgets to carry a bag and immediately regrets it when she finds herself in a public restroom with a child who is stretched out on a diaper changing station in dire need of a diaper change.

Recently, she emptied that bag and discovered three diapers, a package of wipes, a small container of hand sanitizer, a few suspicious Kleenex, an outdated church bulletin, an empty Tupperware container, a single dirty sock, a Happy Meal toy, several crayons, a child's windbreaker, and two plastic spoons.  She then shook the bag, releasing a mixture of what she thinks was crumbled Goldfish crackers and sand.

There was no lipstick to be found.  There was, however, one quarter and three pennies.

She still cannot determine the location of her car keys.


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