Pack Rat

I sometimes think I carry too much baggage. But then I always have.

Literally as well as figuratively.

I almost always get into work a little early and watch some of the other people come in. It surprises me when people walk in to do an eight hour shift carrying absolutely nothing in their hands. No food, no drinks, no snacks, nothing. Just themselves.

Sometimes I really envy those people the simplicity.

Of course that means that if they want to eat something, it's state food or something out of the vending machines. And if they want something to drink it's water or coffee or again, something out of the machines.

I don't drink that water at work unless it's run through a coffee filter first. That stuff will make you glow in the dark. And it tastes nasty. As far as I'm concerned, the entire water system for everywhere within 25 miles of this place needs to be dug up and thrown away and rethought and replaced. I don't know where this stuff comes from originally but it is sure nasty by the time it makes it to the tap.

And I've already made me thoughts on the state food well known.

So I carry in a lunchbox just a little larger than your average third world country. In it I carry:

Water- Usually 4 bottles, which I save and bring home to recycle.
Food- Enough for one good sized meal (since I only eat once a day) and a few snacks in case I get held over.
Cigarettes- Enough to hold me over a shift and an extra just in case...
Coffee and filters- Usually enough for two pots.
Extra lighter
Extra Pens
Tums and Tylenol- Because some days there just aint enough Tums and Tylenol
Change- A couple of bucks worth
Vicks Vaporub- In case there's something really stinky going on
Sunglasses
Reading Glasses- because I'm old and I need them
Assorted office supplies- Like paper and white out and rubber bands, etc
Spare flashlight batteries
Bandaids

And probably some other stuff I can't think of at the moment as well. Pretty much all of the stuff I can cram into that lunchbox that I might need or have needed in the past. It's in there.

Obviously, it's a heavy lunchbox. Ask anybody, they'll tell you.

Do I need all of this stuff? Well, no. probably not. I could do without 99% of it most of the time. But I sure would feel almost naked without it. And it sure is handy to have around when I need something.

I've never been one for simplicity, I guess. I'll keep my baggage. I might as well. It has my name on it, after all.

So tomorrow is Meteor Day (hmm... and a big one passing by even as we speak. Yikes!) and Pay Day (Yippee!). It's also National Bomb Pop Day and National Handshake Day. Let's just remember to shake hands before we eat the bomb pops, okay? I get all sticky.