Paris Hilton's Purse

San Francisco 2005 – My best friend pulls a small, colorful purse from a shopping bag.

“It’s a Louis Vuitton; on sale for $800”.

I’m able to maintain my composure and not gasp, nor have my mouth hang agape.

I echo her, “On sale for $800?”

“Yeah, it was over $1,000, but I didn’t want to spend that much even though my husband gave me $3,000 for a purse.”

My self-restraint leaves and my eyes bug out at $3,000.

I just can’t help myself…all weekend long…every time I look at $800 Louie, all I can think about is how many DNA tests could be bought with that purse!!! My friend would question my sanity if she knew that.

Ah, but can I not question the sanity of spending that amount of money on something that goes out of style in a year?

San Francisco 2006 – Déjà vu

This year’s hot “just gotta have it” handbag is COACH.

I stare at my friend’s $400 COACH bag and mentally calculate that it’s worth one MEGA, or perhaps two 37-marker tests, or four Genographic kits, or….

…and then along comes Paris Hilton…who is in San Francisco promoting her new perfume.

A relative of a friend has the job of escorting Miss Hilton where she needs to be for the promotion and the subject of the price of her handbag just happens to be discussed which makes its way back to me…

…$15,000!!!!

That’s 150 Genographic kits, 78 37-marker tests (at group rate of course), 37 MEGAs…