EVEN with the digital wallet and online banking, we here in these parts still use a lot of cash and credit cards. Even in economic discussions, the phrase “share of wallet” (how we spend our disposable income and what we buy with it) indicates our penchant for the wallet in the pocket.
The pockets, at least for males, can be revealing in what they are used for.
A right-handed man usually carries his wallet in the right back pocket of his pants where constant wear (including sitting on it) bends it to the curve of that posterior cheek. Medical problems can arise from this habit. Intrusion of an unusually thick wad in the back pouch while driving can restrict blood circulation, even as it enhances our purchasing power.
A friend discovered this medical phenomenon after complaining of shooting pains in his hip. (It’s not always sciatica.) A number of doctors he consulted could not figure out the ailment. The last one asked to see his wallet and immediately knew what was wrong. The portable-bible heft of the wallet caused the hip aches, and the patient was asked to either switch to a thinner wallet or move its location to the front pocket. He did both and permanently rid himself of his pain.
Assorted plastic gives the wallet its heft. The small plastic rectangles include credit, discount, VIP, ATM cards, driver’s license, and memberships in clubs, and, for a time, the vaccination record. While wallets provide slots for plastic cards, these become quickly inadequate as more and more are wedged into the limited space.
What about calling cards? Even when few now ask for or exchange calling cards, these are kept in the wallet, just in case. Anyway, these cards no longer depict the accurate details of one’s position which changes even without a memo, or the cardholder’s knowledge. Only the contact numbers (not the land line) are useful. And these can easily be exchanged digitally anyway with the QR code.
The ideal wallet size is small, maybe 20% bigger than a calling card; thickness is limited to 2 cm. Compact wallets with their multiple folds for compactness are getting popular. These accordion-like leather accessories even allow for de-magnetizing finishes to protect ATM and credit cards. They also provide tags for pulling out stuff out of their tight hiding places. (Do not ask strangers for help.)
Changing wallets can cause confusion and a break in routine.
A third wallet is necessary for foreign trips. This is leaner and has less cards, only the internationally accepted ones. Foreign currency is best separated with money clips. One is told however that most countries one visits no longer accept cash. They prefer reloadable cards that are just tapped for transport, restaurants, and laundry.
Other items are found in a man’s pockets. Maybe a handkerchief or extra face mask? What about a bunch of keys with a few unaccounted for in terms of the locks they open? The cell phone too resides in the front pocket of the males. This placement persists, despite warnings of radiation affecting fertility and voice modulation. Nobody takes these fake news items seriously and for many anyway, the ability to sire children no longer matters.
Some may carry a multi-purpose Swiss knife that has a nail clipper and a corkscrew for opening a wine bottle. This can be part of the key ring earlier mentioned.
There’s a reason that the money one carries around is called “pocket money.” It does not represent even a fraction of one’s liquid assets. It’s supposed to cover expenses for the day until the next ATM visit. The cards are supposed to make up the gap for over-ordering in a restaurant or buying sneakers or ripped jeans on a whim.
The trend for following women’s fashion with “man bags” to put more stuff that pockets cannot accommodate without looking too excitable has not quite picked up. Men tend to forget they have bags and so tend to lose them. A hands-free lifestyle seems to be ingrained in the male. The hands need to hold other items than bags.
As for airport security, the pocket seems to be in the conversation. Does eliminating the portable pouch address filching of tourists’ valuables? Then there is no need to ask —what’s in your pocket?
Tony Samson is chairman and CEO of TOUCH xda
