These aren't my thoughts, they're my cat walking on the keyboard.

I had the best wallet. It had pockets for everything I need to carry, driver’s license, military ID, credit cards, cards for the grocery store, auto club, etc. I had the wallet a long time and it really showed no signs of age. It’s black and looks like it’s not a day over.....five years, but I think it’s probably going on ten or even more.

I was in denial when one day the zipper to the compartment which holds my cash and coins, got stuck. I finally got it moving again, but it was a little rough to open and close. This went on for several months.

Then one day at the store, I noticed that when I closed the zipper, part of it still stayed open. So, by zipping it open and then closing it again, it seemed okay......for awhile.

A few days later, I took my wallet out and it was unzipped. Sometimes I do put it in my purse without zipping it, I thought. I have to remember to keep it zipped.

It gets worse. I found myself unzipping and zipping my wallet to see if it remained closed. At this point, only half of it remained zipped up. In my denial that I might have to consider a new wallet, I thought half way is okay. I won’t lose anything that way.

This went on for quite some time, through the Spring and Summer. Then during our trip to Monterey just before Christmas, it was in the rental car place that I faced the reality that the zipper was shot. It would no longer stay zipped, even part way.

Still, I couldn’t think of getting a new wallet. I knew I’d never find one that made me as happy as this little black wallet had. So, I put it off longer and just made sure everything was tucked inside the compartment when I put the wallet in my purse.

I would take the wallet out and zip it up and unzip it and zip it and unzip it......but it just wouldn’t stay zipped. I thought maybe the zipper would start working again if I just worked with it. No such luck.

I had two new wallets in my closet that were given to me five or six years ago. I did not need a new wallet then, so I put them away.

The other night, I got them both out and sat down to see which one I would use. It was finally time to retire my black wallet and it really stressed me out.

Not only would I have to get used to a new wallet, but neither of the new ones were black. One is dark brown and the other is a reddish brown. The pockets are all different and I’m not sure I can get everything inside. Too many changes to deal with.

I finally decided on the reddish brown one. I took all the cards out and found places for them. I put the cash and coins away. It has a place for a checkbook, but I took the cover out since I don’t carry a checkbook in my wallet. That made room for some pictures if I want. I took out cards which I don’t need to carry with me.

When my black wallet was completely empty, I looked at it and thought what a shame. It still looks so good. It’s just that the zipper doesn’t work. I placed it on the table and thought I would throw it away. Then I thought of it just lying in the garbage and I couldn’t throw it away. I took the cards that I wouldn’t be carrying with me and put them in the black wallet and then I put it up in my closet.

Yesterday I went to the store and had to use my new wallet for the first time. I wondered if I could find my store card and my check card to pay. The new wallet has two zipper compartments and I got the right one on the first try! Maybe this new wallet won’t be so bad after all. I wonder how long I’ll have it and if I’ll have as hard of a time giving it up?.......Oh, yeah, I will.

More later......