In July 2021 I moved out of my New Jersey apartment and got rid of everything I could not take with me, except one pink suitcase.
And by everything, I mean everything that isn’t logical to take with you when you are moving back to your parents’ house.
The unimportant things, the stuff.
The first things we buy when we move in, and the first things we sell when we move out for good.
Things we buy as an investment in our home.
A large carpet, utensils, crockpot, decorative trays, the Roomba, the fancy trash can, printer, extra-large towels, coffee machine, books.. things you buy once, and they go with you wherever you go.
The unimportant stuff that makes our home, home.
At least that’s what I used to think.
In that crazy week in mid-July when I decided to have no strings attached to my belongings in the US, there were two things that were relevant and expensive but too heavy and not needed for immediate use in India.
Those were - Winter boots and a down jacket.
So I stashed them in two suitcases – one small and one large pink suitcase. With it, I stuffed some random stuff without giving it much thought.
I requested two friends to keep it with them expecting I'll take it back when I am back in 6 months.
As you all know that never happened.
The suitcases were now sitting in two different cities of Jersey. The small one was now stashed in the large pink suitcase for its journey to the west coast.
So, after spending close to a year in Jersey, the large pink suitcase made its way to Seattle for a year. For almost two years, for one reason or another, it never made its way to me in Bangalore.
Until I moved to Chicago.
I finally got it shipped to my apartment a couple of weeks ago.
It brings back bittersweet memories of my 6 years living as a working professional in the US, but also shows me the emotional turmoil I was in during that time.
This suitcase with me in Hartford, moved to New Jersey, to Seattle, and then finally to Chicago.
I joke with my friend who had it for the longest time, that it is the power of the pink suitcase that brought me back to the US. :P
Maybe it really was.
PS: Upon opening, in addition to the expected boots and winter coat I found
- a few books, a hammer, a car charger, a Coca-Cola salt/pepper shaker, cotton balls, and a company memento. (go figure!)
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