Mindful Content: in Awe of the Grab-bag

The Origins

Action, spy, political thrillers, high-powered executive sagas and detective movies share many standard scenes, such as: car chases, being followed by enemy agents, explosions (of cars, buildings, places they are about to enter or just exit) and heightened tension at border crossings. However, there is another scene that appears commonly across these genres, but that gets far less press than these bigger set pieces: the ‘grab-bag’ scene.

The Sequence

In the grab-bag scene, the hero or heroine of the story is being sent somewhere at short notice for an important meet. They go back to their dwelling, make straight for their wardrobe and pull out a stylish weekender-type bag - that's ready-packed - and make straight for the door. In and out in one minute. Sometimes, the protagonist unzips the bag and checks that their passport and a wad of cash is inside, before zipping up and leaving their dwelling. In and out in under three minutes. Once on the street, they hail a taxi or chuck the bag into the trunk of their flashy car and drive confidently off to the meet or airport. What a cool scene!

Active Market Research

In awe of this scene, I thought it would make sense to keep my own grab-bag around the apartment ... you know, just in case my organisation – or better still, a higher authority – wanted me somewhere quick. With this in mind, I went shopping. The first thing I discovered about the grab-bag is that they are eye-wateringly expensive. A good weekender bag in leather from a known brand will set you back between 700 to 1,500 pounds, minimum. That’s a lot of money to invest in something that will live in a darkened wardrobe away from prying eyes and be used as a prop when hailing a taxi and carried at a time when no one could possibly stop me and comment on how nice my luggage looked. Still, I was committed to the task and eventually found a more modest unbranded one made from canvass for a fraction of the price.

Mission Accomplished!

Back home, I packed my grab-bag with all the items a seasoned executive on the go would need for that important meet in a distant location. In went a sports kit, trainers, socks, pants, a business suit, two shirts, tie, formal shoes, pyjamas, casual clothes, wash kit, lap top, cables, phone charger, a notepad, pens and passport. When I had finished, I couldn’t close the zip, so I took out the sports kit and trainers and figured if the meeting was important, I wouldn’t have time for sports (like in the movies - a sauna would suffice or even be the place where the business took place). The case still didn't close, so I took out the casual clothes ... it would have to be business all the way. To finish off, I went to the ATM and took out what amounted to three hundred pounds and stuck that in the bag along with my passport. I zipped up the bag and stuck it in my wardrobe, then stepped back to admire. I’d done it, I had a grab-bag like all high-powered movie protagonists and globe-trotting executives!

The Re-enactment

That evening I practiced several times walking into the apartment, grabbing my grab-bag and leaving. I did it in under a minute each time or under three minutes if I checked my passport and cash. It was a most satisfying experience, albeit a quick one, considering all the effort it took to get it in place.That night and the next day, I slept very well knowing I could leave my apartment at any moment and be on my way – although for the purpose of full disclosure, no high-powered meeting or need to leave quickly presented itself during those two heady days.

Problems, always problems

By the third day, the issues with the grab-bag surfaced. Having run out of money in my account (due to buying the grab-bag and putting cash inside it) I had to take the money out and use it for groceries. Next, I ran out of clean underwear and took that out. Ditto socks. Then the laptop and phone charger. I also discovered I’d made the rookie error of packing a favorite shirt. What to do … leave it inside and buy a duplicate or use the packed one? The ‘no cash situation’ from buying the grab-bag meant opting for the packed one. My sleep was also affected, as I lay awake at night pondering questions related to the perfect grab-bag and the ideal contents to place therein. By the end of the week, my grab-bag was sadly deconstructed and out of commission and my mind was fuzzy from a lack of sleep.

Questions, always questions

I now have no grab-bag, just an empty no brand canvass bag in my wardrobe. What remains are questions I need answering before my next attempt and step towards executive status:

1. What comes first, the high-powered career or the ability to pack a grab-bag?

2. What range of jobs would necessitate a grab-bag … or at least provide an excuse to have one? This will be the career I aim for.

3. Is it indulgent to have a duplication of all your most essential clothing and gadgets sat in a darkened wardrobe … or is that the kind of thinking that’s holding me back from the plum jobs?

4. How do I know the climate of the destination where I’m being sent? Will it be hot, cold, tropical or inclement? Should I therefore have a range of grab-bags packed: maybe one for each season and continent? One wardrobe dedicated to grab-bags, maybe?

5. What would be the ultimate packing list for a grab-bag?

6. Even though a cabin bag or a rucksack are more practical, could they ever manage to have the same cool and stylish appeal of the weekender?

Final thoughts

I still remain awed by the concept of the grab-bag and will no doubt try again at a later date to finesse my belongings by owning one – preferably one of those designer numbers in leather – but only once I have researched in more detail, saved a large sum of cash and gained the answers from the list above. One day I’ll have the grab-bag ready: I’ll get the word that I’m needed somewhere fast, grab my grab-bag, hail a taxi whilst wearing stylish clothes - and of course, in the other hand, hold a sleek grab-bag - then head for the airport, breeze through customs, arrive empowered and fresh in clean underwear and socks, ready for business. Is the grab-bag a worthy pursuit? Damn right it is.

If you enjoyed this blog, head over to Marcus Coates at Mindful Content to see my other blogs:

www.mc-mindful-content.com

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