I'm writing a lighter column about a heavy subject

Mrs. Griz told me just this morning that my columns have been too serious lately and that I needed to "lighten up a bit." She may be right, but there is a reason for my seriousness: the world really is headed for hell in a hand basket. I'm trying to point out that fact so people, at the least, wake up to the truth and try to escape being caught up in the coming train wreck.

But, anyway, I'll try to lighten up, at least for this week and write about something less consequential. And Mrs. Griz, unwittingly this morning, gave me the perfect subject: her purse.

It seems a zipper on her favored purse of late was coming loose from the leather -- either real or fake leather, I don't know (she says real and I have my doubts) -- and I needed to take it in to have it repaired, along with a strap from another favored purse which had come apart some time ago. So that I could take her purse in for repair, she emptied it out on the bed and got out a past-favored purse from the closet and began to transfer items into the older bag.

I've told her in the past that an old feed sack would work just as well as a fancy purse because it too will hold lots of stuff and it would ride on the floor or the back seat of her car or my truck just as well as any fancy and expensive purse. And what difference would it make? It's so weighed down with stuff, she seldom actually carries it in anywhere. It just rides along in the car or my truck in case she might need something in it.

I've also suggested she get a tool box with drawers and compartments to avoid having to empty it out to find that one thing she needs down there, somewhere, on the bottom. Unfortunately, she thinks more about style than simply being practical. I'm practical. I have carried around a set of emergency tools in a tool box she was going to throw away a long time ago for most, if not all, of our married life. I carried it in my big truck years ago, and now it rides in my pickup truck. I don't have to get a new one to be in style. It still works fine even if it shows some signs of serious wear.

During the purse-to-purse transfer process this morning, her stuff covered most of our queen-sized bed. I carry far less tools in my truck! She had a screwdriver kit, scissors, nail clipper, flashlight, fingernail files, pocket knives, candy mints, pens, papers, her wallet and more; and that was in addition to the makeup and hair brushes and other stuff women usually carry.

When I asked her if she had a power drill, nail gun or power saw in there -- as a carpenter's daughter, she likes power tools -- her reply was simply, "Not yet." I wonder if one of those large mechanic's tool chests on wheels might not be more practical! I could strap it up front in the bed of my pickup truck.

At the risk of being in the dog house, I'll say I now understand why the strap on her recently favored purse came unstitched and maybe why the zipper is pulling away from her most recently favored purse.

But, yes, I'll take them in to get fixed. I might suggest reinforcing things with 100-pound test nylon thread or braided wire just to be sure the repairs hold.

In the meantime, I might have to take her past some of the most stylish tool chests while at the hardware store. Perhaps I could even offer to get her one in pink.

I expect, after she reads this column, I'll be back to heavy and serious again next week. I may have to write about methods of dealing with marital conflict, or maybe how to apologize and buy your wife a new purse.

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be contacted by email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.

Editorial on 02/04/2015