Man-bag

[Fire typography for the picture stolen from Nir Tobir]

I've got mixed feelings about my man-bag.  Partly it's to do with the name: "man-bag" has a certain scrotality to it that I'm not entirely comfortable with.  Also, although it is a genuine man-bag purchased from the Men's Accessories section of a wanky store, it was bought by my Smaller Half for her own use.  She used it for two years and I have only started using it this year because she doesn't really need to lug books around any more.  So a certain air of femininity lingers on despite its rugged brown leather construction and spartan style.

I've had a couple of my Esteemed Colleagues say to me, "Nice man-bag!", which is encouraging.  But they said it in a slightly over-enthusiastic way that makes me wonder if they were mocking me.

But the worst insult happened just today.  I was sitting in with an orthopaedic surgeon (and we all know that they're the real macho men).  My man-bag was on the floor under my seat, innocently minding its own business in its understated masculine way.  He saw it there just as the patient was leaving the room and said to her, "Oh Mrs MacGillicuddy!  Is that your handbag?"

"Oh no", she said, "It's HIS!" and she pointed right at me.  Oh how I burned with shame.