It has to be red!

Some days a bit of window shopping gives results. I have wanted a new purse for a while. Not because my current one is bad, but simply because I wanted something a tad smaller, a bit classier - and not black.

Like red.

As I browsed the handbag and luggage store, I eavesdropped on the conversation the clerk had with other shoppers. Black is the most popular color, regardless of fashion, I learned. Meh, I knew that. Norwegians would make Johnny Cash proud.

Which is why I wanted color. I posed with gray, with gray-blue, with purple against my black (!) coat and black (!!) boots. Nothing felt right. Kelly green and road-sign yellow were out of the question.

I put all the handbags back. I was disappointed in not finding anything I really liked, but reluctant to leave the store, empty-handed. There were many nice, appealing handbags, but they were black. I fought temptation and old habit, determined to have any color but black!

I circled the racks again. I crossed over to one other rack I hadn't yet explored.

Nope. Naw.

I circled back.

I lifted it off its hook, modeled it over my shoulder in front of the store's full-length mirror, and said to myself, "Yes!"

Red against black is always stunning.