MacGyver and Crazy Blog Serial Episode 23

"Oh please…when you meet me you will be amazed what I carry in my handbag…I could go in after a disaster and single handedly build shelter and operate on people." - Amarinda Jones

The above statement was in made in the midst of a brisk e-mail discussion about whether Emmeline (as a woman) would be better prepared than MacGyver in an emergency situation. I argued that the average woman everyday carries more in her handbag than good old Mac ever thought about hauling around. He was pretty limited to duct tape and a Swiss army knife. Well, I could go one better there...

I'll see his Swiss army knife and duct tape, and raise an additional small Swiss army knife, a six-in-one folding tool, a small spool of wire, a small first aid kit, and a cell phone. And that's just the stuff in one side pocket. It all starts when you reach puberty and have to start packing feminine products along with the pens, pencils, hairbrush, and make-up. Long before the Boy Scouts, females had the motto "Be Prepared."

Then if you have children, you add disposable wipes, diapers, training pants and extra outfit, baby food. As they get older, you toss in crayons and paper, a picture book, and snacks... By the time they're teenagers, you could open up a daycare facility with what you carry in your purse. And you may as well keep the stuff in there as the grandchildren show up.

I once knew a woman who carried a complete set of underwear for herself on the premise that she might some day have to spend the night away from home. With a perfectly serious face she informed me that she could manage to wear her outer clothing a second day in an emergency, but not underwear. One wonders what she would do in the case of a true emergency such as a plane crash or hurricane.

In any case, in Episode Twenty Three, we find out whether or not Emmeline can uphold the reputation of women everywhere. If you missed out on yesterday's episode twenty two, please hop over to Amarinda's page at http://www.amarindajones.blogspot.com/ and of course, after our usual day of rest on Sunday Kelly will have the response on Monday at http://www.kkirch.blogspot.com/


“Well, then, there’s no problem. I always carry a bugle in my backpack,” Emmeline said briskly. “I even took lessons just in case I ever had occasion to need it. Anything else?”

“An umbrella might come in handy,” Rinalda conceded uneasily.

“Of course,” Emmeline concurred affably. She gestured for the little group to walk ahead of her down the trail. “One should always carry an umbrella. You never know when it might rain—even in Australia.”

“You don’t have to sound so smug about it,” Rinalda grumbled. “How was I to know that you would be so well prepared?”

Rafe and Shade snorted in derision and Shade jeered, “Your elders sure don’t know Emmeline very well, do they? She has all seven seasons of MacGyver memorized. Even if she lost her stupid peeler, she could probably whip up something as a substitute. Her last name isn’t MacGyver for fun.”

“MacGyver?” Rinalda’s voice faltered as she felt herself growing faint with shock. “Not MacGyver. The elders said nothing about MacGyver! No wonder we haven’t been able to defeat her.”

“Well, now you know,” Rafe pointed out loftily. “Why do you think we’re still with her? We would be dead by now if it wasn’t for her. So, there!” He tugged on her arm and walked toward the abyss. “What’s next, Miss Virgin Assassin?”

Rinalda crumpled to her knees on the rocky trail in despair. “How am I supposed to know? You were all supposed to be dead before we reached the abyss.”

Anny