A Member of the "Pack Rat" Pack

Remember the "Brat Pack" from the 80's? Don't pretend you've forgotten!! You know you watched their movies (i.e. Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club, St. Elmo's Fire, etc.) over and over again at Friday night sleepovers when they first came out on VHS. (Will someone please tell me when VHS became an archaic word?) Anyway, I have been wondering lately if I might be part of the "Pack Rat" Pack of the Early 2000's. Let me invite you to be a fly on the wall of a brief conversation I had with my husband last night.

Setting:Kitchen Table

Time: After Dinner

Props: Laptop, various glasses of ice water to beat the heat, and a copy of This Old House magazine on the table top

Husband sits down at table to check the actions of the Hesterfamily email account for the day on the laptop. Sighs heavily when opening the inbox.

Husband: "Is there any reason why we need to have 146 messages in our inbox. Can't we delete some of these? I don't know how you can stand this."

Wife: ponders for a moment the thought of deleting some, then responds " I had no idea I had that many, but what if I need them for something later?"

Husband: "What could you possibly need these for later? Some of them are 3 weeks old."

Wife: "Well, you never know. I might need to refer to them later for some reason."

Husband: Sighs again, realizing there are more important battles he will probably need to fight later and drops the subject, closes the cover to the laptop, then utters "What's for dessert?"



Conversation over.



This Friday, I am having a garage sale. If I continue to be a member of the "Pack Rat" Pack, there will be nothing in it. Tonight, Gregg and I have plans to attack the basement (once again), and see what we can get rid of to put in the garage sale. I can envision the conversation we will be having when we are down there.

Setting: Basement

Time: After dinner

Props: Various boxes, shelves stocked with "stuff," purple Rubbermaid containers to make us appear organized

Husband sits down on a chair (purchased from another garage sale), opens a box, begins to look through it, and sighs heavily.


Husband: "Is there any reason why we need to have 15 books on "How to decorate classroom bulletin boards" when you haven't taught full time in 12 years?"


Wife: ponders for a moment the thought of "getting rid" of them, then responds "Well, you never know when I might go back to teaching some time."


Husband: "Don't you think you might want some updated information, if and when you go back to it? You don't want to be a teacher with "out of style" bulletin boards, do you?


Wife: anxiety builds at the thought of being "out of style" (words she never wants to be associated with) "Of course not!! Put that box over to the side. You know, by the other boxes that have the stuff in them that I need to think about getting rid of. I just am not sure about those yet."


Husband: Sighs again, realizing in his mind there are more important battles to fight later and drops the subject. Closes the box and utters to himself, "At this rate, we will have nothing in the garage sale."


Do you know of any support groups for husbands of "Pack Rats?" I think I might know of one who would really appreciate it. Come to think of it, the next time Gregg and I have this conversation, I know exactly what I will say to him. "Honey, it's a good thing you married a 'Pack Rat.' It simply means I will keep you forever." Sweet, isn't it??? :)