Slideshow with Catherine

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

I grabbed my husband and told him that we must leave, fast. But he held me back. Don't you want to know who this girl is? At least her name? After a bit of hesitation, I knew he was right. I tried to walk away from it, but the curiosity was stronger than me and I gave in. I introduced myself as the creator of Purse and asked her a few questions. I guess I just needed to give my final approval, and even say a final goodbye. I can only hope for the best for the future of Purse with her new owner, Catherine.

I didn't tell Catherine the whole story of how Purse came about, and the personal connection that it had to me. She liked it because it was "Vintage and Cool." She will never know that whenever she puts her personal belongings in there, the ouside will be an essence of me. She will never know that she didn't just take Purse, but a little part of a stranger, me.

Something Interesting Happened

After 10 minutes of just standing there, waiting for someone to notice you, it became a little unbearable. I decided that it was time to turn the camera off, and take a walk around Target. I'll be back later.

But as I started walking away, something told me to go back. As soon as I turned around again, there it was. A randome girl and guy taking Purse from her location. And she would not let it go. She kept on looking at it. And although she tried other purses on as well, she just would not let go of Purse. That's when I knew, I would never see you again.

Sorry girl, I just need to take a couple of pictures. I didn't say anything, I just started to snap snap snap. She was obviously pissed, as you can see in one of the pictures. But I didn't care. It's me who should be pissed. You are the one taking away my purse.

It got a bit uncomfortable for her, and she walked away, but I managed to turn the camera on. You can see by the shaky video that I was trembling a bit, I was nervous. And the girl was walking away, avoiding my camera. That was it. Time to leave now.

Meet Catherine

With the new owners

Exploring the surroundings

An Evaluation of the Surroundings

Don't worry. I am not leaving so soon.

I stood there with my camera, just listening to people around and looking for potential caretakers. Every time someone walked past, I wondered. Would they be the ones?   People came and went, but nothing happened for the first 10 minutes.

The Perfect Spot

We entered Target feeling good, searching around for the perfect spot. I guess when you know, you know, because we went straight to it. There it was, the purse section, with an empty spot. It had Purse's name on it. All the other purses around had the same red and black colors. You are part of their family now. You are no longer my Purse, you are part of "Linea Pelle." Sounds fancy. I wonder how much you will be worth. Anywhere from $9.99-$29.99. That is, to others. To me, you're priceless. I know the real story.

We Picked a Target

So after much debate about your new whereabouts, we have decided on the Target located at 4323 San Felipe Street. It's a good place, with loads of potential new caretakers. I also have my own concerns, where will I place you? What will the people around me think? It might sound weird, but I feel like a thief, one that leaves something behind instead of taking something away. If I get "caught" how will I explain it? No time for questions, we just have to do this.

We found a parking spot, and took the last picture of Purse in something that belongs to me- the car seat. Then, we took a couple of more pictures around the area.

The day has come

I must admit that it has been a bit terrifying to think about the idea of walking into a random place, and letting you go. First of all, where do I leave you? How can I ensure that you will have a safe new home? That the new belongings that you will have to hold are in line with those that you already know and are so comfortable with? Will you be compatible? Taken cared of? Abused and neglected? Like with everything else in life, it's a chance that you must take, only hoping for the best. Like a parent leaving behind their 18 year old kid in college, or seeing them get married, and start of new families... Ok, maybe I'm getting a bit carried away. But still, I created you, and now its your time to be set free. From a book and contact paper to a respectable purse. You have come a long way.