I went to Marshall Fields with my friend, Hank, to look at the expensive goose down pillows he wanted. I usually don’t shop at Marshall Fields for things like pillows because they are too expensive, but the pillows were supposed to be 50% off.

Well, we each found a pillow. I choose a $15.00 Tommy Hillfigger and he picked out a $100.00 Pacific Coast down pillow, that even had its own personal carrier bag with a handle. Being a vegetarian, I decided not to remind him how many geese gave up their lives for that pillow, because he could already see it in my eyes, and I wasn’t going to mention spending a $100.00 on a pillow was a little nuts, too. Nor was I going to tell him it looked a little as if he was carrying a pillow purse.

Wandering around the sales floor, we found a register where an elderly sales woman was having an intense argument about a spatula not ringing up correctly with a woman with a gorgeous black Kate Spade bag. That bag was so beautiful it astounded me. Ever since I had been watching Sex and The City, I had wanted a designer purse, but they had always been out of my reach due to cost and the fact that most of them were made from leather.

Just when I thought I might reach over and fondled this woman’s Kate Spade, another elderly sales woman came over to us and exclaimed, “You escaped my area.”

At first, I had no idea what she was talking about, but she had come over from the linens area to round us back over to her counter. Apparently, we had crossed some forbidden line. She kept clucking her tongue as if we were naughty baby chicks as she rang us up.

I was so relieved when we finally got away from her, and I was gloating about how I was getting out of Marshall Field’s for fifteen dollars when we passed by the purses.

After seeing the Kate Spade bag, I had to a peek. It was then I found the cutest black Hobo International bag. It was $70.00. Made from microfiber, it had a bunch of wallet compartments and a long strap. It was as if someone had written down all the features I loved and they had made this purse especially for me, but I’ve never spend that much money on a purse in my life.

Wracked with guilt and indecision, I looked at Hank, happily holding his pillow. I wanted to be a happy camper, too.

“Just buy your purse,” he said.

Therefore, I did. I felt such a thrill as the sales woman rang up my purchase and slipped my new purse into a bag for me. I hugged it all the way home. I actually took pictures of it as if it was a new baby, and I wanted to sleep with it as if it was a pet.

Every day, I still give it an affectionate squeeze as we head out the door together. I’m so glad my friend told me to “just buy your purse.”