I could hear Anne laughing out loud, but I didn’t see anyone else in her office and she didn’t appear to be on the phone, so I poked my head in to ask, “What’s so funny?
Anne didn’t even look up from her screen as she said,
“I am watching Queen Elizabeth having tea with Paddington Bear. Have you seen it?”
I shook my head.
Turning her monitor around to face me, Anne pressed the go button and together we watched the 2.5 minute video. I thought it was cute, but I didn’t think it was that funny. “How come the video made you laugh?”
Anne smiled as she turned to say, “Oh Edna, unless you have lugged around a honkin’ big bag, not a handbag really a shoulder bag, this might not seem relevant, so let me explain.
Photo credit: Hindustan Times
“There was a time when I hauled around a big bag containing everything I might need right at hand … cell phone, sunglasses, a packet of tissues, chewing gum, breath mints, disposable toothbrush, umbrella, rolled up rain poncho, iPad, gloves, roll-up flats (for when I cannot take the heels any longer), makeup, eye drops, wallet, allergy pills, first aid kit, Tylenol, small notepad, large notepad, an assortment of pens and highlighters, various charging devices, portable battery, spare pantyhose, protein bar, a bottle of water … I was sure I had thought of everything! And yes, you can imagine, all that was heavy.
“I remember winning the “heaviest handbag” award at a girls' weekend event; my bag weighed more than 40 pounds! That is the equivalent of carrying you and three of the largest owls in the world (the Blakiston fish owl) on one shoulder.”
Well, I agree that sounds pretty heavy. I guess Anne could tell from the look on my face, that I still didn’t understand why the video of the Queen and Paddington was funny.
She continued, “I can see it is still not clear why I laughed at the video. All I could think of as she pulled that marmalade sandwich out of her bag was that I had missed something important!"
"For all that I thought I was prepared for every possible eventuality, unlike Paddington who kept his in this hat, I didn’t carry a marmalade sandwich in my handbag, one that like the Queen, I too could “… keep for later.”
I still don't understand. I don’t even like marmalade so I don’t know why Anne would want a marmalade sandwich in her bag. Unless of course, she thought she might have been invited to tea with the Queen?
What do you think?