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I grew up hearing the phrase "We might need it later". My grandmother was one of those people who always took a big stack of napkins at a fast food place, kept all of her sauce packets, and re-used Cool-Whip and Yogurt containers to store leftovers. She always had a book of matches on her, though she never smoked, in case she needed to start a fire for some reason.
I usually carry a multi-tool and a lighter, just in case, and they've proven invaluable in both emergencies and everyday life (I can usually manage to light candles and open that annoying plastic packaging, at least).
When Reddit user howdoiuseredditdotcom asked:
"What's something you carry around with you for the sole purpose of 'Oh, I might need this one day'?"
some of the replies were absolutely bizarre. You'll find some of the best below.
Seems Valid
GiphyI don't smoke, but for 20 years I've carried a lighter. Why?
The end of The Fifth Element. They almost didn't have fire, and that would have been disastrous.
Do I think my keychain lighter will be the difference between life and the end of all life as we know it in an all-consuming darkness? Probably not.
But...what if?
Desperate Need For Popcorn?
One day at work the glass plate in the microwave broke. My coworker had an extra one in his car.
All Things Should Be Googly
I have a tiny container of googly eyes in my purse for whenever something looks like it should be a little more googly.
Community Cat Love
I carry a cat toy in my purse in case I run into a stray cat that needs something to play with
Spontaneous Tennis
GiphyFor the longest time, I kept a bag of tennis balls in the trunk of my car.
Just in case.
Just in case of what? I don't know. A youth pickup baseball game? A random urge to play catch with no mitts? I highly doubt a spontaneous game of tennis since I didn't have a racket.
You might come across a dog in desperate need of one to play with.
Sometimes You Just Have To Try
I've carried a get out of jail free card from a 1940s monopoly set in my wallet for the past 8 years. I've used it once during a traffic stop when I was speeding, made the cop chuckle and got me out of a ticket. Sometimes you just gotta make em laugh lol
"Sir you were going 90mph in a 65. What do you have to say for yourself?"
*Hands over a get out of jail free card*
"Damnit, you're free to go! SLOW Down!"
Emergency...Magicians? We Have Questions.
I've always carried around a comedically small deck of cards in my bag, no matter where I go. I feel like I live with the fear of ending up somewhere with no signal, and that I'd have to entertain myself for a few hours.
Or emergency magicians.
I'm not the only one!!! This made me so happy, I'll tell you a fun little story\~
So, I've been carrying a small deck of cards in my purse for years. Rarely/never used them. But almost exactly a year ago, I was sitting in a dentist's waiting room and I knew I'd be there for about an hour. This doesn't bother me too much, since I have other things to do, but I see a mom with 3 little kids and they are clearly starting to get bored.
She's trying to keep them entertained with reading magazines, but only the oldest two are really old enough to semi-care about what's in them.
I have severe social anxiety, but I knew that I'd kick myself forever if I didn't at least try...
I pulled the cards out of my purse and slowly approached, trying to figure out how to not appear like a threat, and asked the kids if they'd like to play a card came on the coffee table (making very sure to direct the question to his mother as well).
The older two kids were wary, the mother was smiling, and the smallest boy was EXCITED! He got permission from his mom and I sat on the floor across from him and started shuffling. I very quickly found out, though, that he had NO idea how to 1. play card games or 2. hold cards. So, his older sister begrudgingly helped him while I explained how to play Go Fish.
I'm really terrible at guessing ages, but I'd say the little one was maybe 4-5 and SO cute! His sister and brother eventually got more into the games, but it was so much fun to watch him get excited about picking something to ask and giggling and hiding under the table when he thought he was doing really well.
To wrap up this unrequested and long story, we played Go Fish until the 4th child was done with their appointment and they could leave. The last thing I heard as the door was shutting was the little boy telling his mom, "that was FUN!"
tl;dr - Keep carrying that deck of cards. Someday you might make a memory out of it! :)
A Crucial Digit
GiphyA mannequin finger.
Found it by a dumpster one day.
You never know when that'll come in handy.
A Very Vigilant DM
A tiny bag containing a complete set of rpg dice, because you never know when a random game of D&D might pop up.
One Brick, Two Brick
GiphyUsed to carry two bricks in my car. Whenever I'd be asked why there were two bricks in my car, I'd explain it was for problems one brick couldn't solve.
You're on a slippery slope that will lead to your car being completely filled with bricks if you aren't careful my friend
Funnily enough, that's one location bricks would actually come in handy.
Fantastic Elastic
I always carry not one, not two, but three hair ties with me. One's usually in my hair, one of the extras is in case somebody else needs one but doesn't have their own, and the third is in case the one I'm using breaks. There have been many days I've needed two; either someone asked me for an extra or I break the one I'm currently using, but I've never needed all three... Yet.
Lifesaver
GSW (Gunshot Wound)Trauma kit.
TQ, QuikClot, and an Izzy bandage.
I hope I never need it.
Fallout Preparedness
GiphyIodine pills. I don't really think of myself as a 'doomsday prepper', but hey, if and when those bombs drop, guess whose thyroid is gonna be (mostly) protected from radiation? This guy's.
Time Travel Insurance
Two US silver dollars with the dates warn off and two gold nuggets in a small leather pouch. Its my insurance against time travel. It insures that in no matter what time period I might find myself in, I can pay for a room and a warm meal. I ve had some .. odd back up plans...
Wedding Rescuer
I always have a Fisher Bullet space pen in my pocket. I use it too much that I don't think of it as a "just in case" thing (unlike the safety pin on my Keychain).
However, I was once at a Jewish wedding, and when the bride and groom and witnesses went to sign the Ketubah, the rabbi discovered her pen had died. I was able to save the wedding! (and gave the pen as an extra wedding gift).
As Does Every Prepared Adventurer
GiphyA collection of potions of varying restorative properties and strengths. For that casual unexpected boss fight.
For Emergency Parties
I carry biodegradable confetti for when I need to celebrate. It's always on me and has a special pocket in my backpack.
Sometimes It's The Little Things That Make All The Difference
GiphyI carry around an emergency pack of cigarettes and a lighter in my purse. I don't actually smoke, but there was one evening, in a grocery store parking lot when a woman drove up next to me, rolled down her window, and asked me if I had a light. She was wearing scrubs and looked like she just got off the world's longest shift at the hospital and was DONE with everyone's sh*t. Luckily, I had a lighter, and gave her a light. She looked like I saved her sanity. I just want to be prepared for if it happens again.
What is something that you carry with you "just in case"? Let us know in the comments!