Pary Moppins

I'm sure most of you know of the lovable Mary Poppins and the magic that surrounds her. In the movie, she carries a carpet bag and proceeds to unpack everything she needs, including a tall lamp, from within.


I met the antithesis of Mary Poppins this past week. I'll call her Pary.

Actually...there are some similarities. Pary and Mary are both brunettes, slender, and tall. And both carry a large bag. That's where any resemblance ends. While Mary's bag is magic and can produce all sorts of wonderful items, Pary's 50 pound purse is just for show. I never saw a single item removed.

I do know a little about the contents of the bag though - well, at least what it didn't carry. I would know since I was the one all the girls, including Pary, came to if they needed something. Anything. Everything.

Pary's bag didn't contain:

• a single writing utensil. I went through 20 pens last week. 20 pens. 11 girls total. 1 big purse. Not even trigonometry will solve that equation.
  
• the schedule of camp activities. After every event I had to answer the same question. "Charlotte, what are we doing now?" Well, what does your schedule say? "Lunch" Then I suppose we will be eating.
  
• a water bottle - although I had three at any given time in my backpack belonging to various girls.
  
• gum - the most sought after item all week.
• an umbrella just in case. ...that would have been in my backpack as well.
  
• "girl stuff" for "that time".
• paper to write notes from class. Of course, if you don't have a pen, what's the point in having paper...

But girls are girls and a Pary needed her purse. I'd have hated for her to go anywhere without it. I mean...she might have needed something.