The word according to Carl

Do you like your friends?  The really close friends.....the ones who are there for you in thick and thin....the ones who tell you like it is.....the ones who've got your back no matter what.
I've got a good friend, his name is Carl and he lives in NYC, actually that's where I stay when I'm visiting the city.
I didn't travel this year, so I took the opportunity to order a few needed items online and have them sent to my dear friend Carl, who would then transship them to me via friends or relatives visiting the island....it's a nice arrangement since I am part of the transshipment process too when I'm there.
Okay back to Carl.
He is a genuine person, and not one to "hide his mouth", he will tell you in a heartbeat if you're making a silly decision or taking a wrong turn in life.  I've known him for a long time, and I trust his judgment and his fair manner in situations requiring a level head.
My personal Confucius says.
I've got a few girlfriends who exhibit these same qualities too, but remember I'm telling a story about Carl.
Not being able to visit NYC this year, and still wanting to purchase a few items that I would have normally purchased if I had been there, I sat down and placed a few orders online.
I'm not the typical girl with a ton of shoes and bags, I'm more practical and when I find a well made item I tend to stick with that brand.
Case in point....I love Liz Claiborne bags, well designed and well made, and if well taken care of, they last forever and ever.
Now granted, when one sits down to order stuff online, the photos don't always do justice to the item, but we order anyway.
There are a few stipulations regarding my bag choices.....I love a bag with one long strap, I don't have time to be carting around a bag in the crook of my arm that may lead to arthritis later in life, nor do I have the time to be constantly adjusting a bag with two straps that keep falling off my shoulder....I don't believe in animal cruelty so my bags are not made from animal skin even the fake kind.....I also love a bag with lots of inside compartments, I am a tidy girl and to have a bag with one large opening to dump everything in just seems so chaotic to me.....and lastly I can't deal with the bariffle of metal embellishments on the outside of a bag either, I find it distracting from the simple design which I admire so much.
While placing my orders I found a great bag that fitted my equation.....Liz Claiborne....black faux leather....three inner compartments....long strap.....no unnecessary embellishments on the outside.....perfect (or so I thought).
The bag arrived at Mr. Carl's house along with the other items that were ordered.  I always have him open the packages and inspect every item before sending them on to me.
One morning my phone rings, and it's him on the other line, and before I could say "Howdy doo my friend?"  His words in my ears were, "Woman what is this ugly-ass bag that you ordered and send here to my house?"
My mouth dropped, but I already know not to give a flippant retort, because he really wants an answer to his question....his very serious question.
Then before I could answer, he continued, "It looks like something from one of those old time shows, Adams Family or something...you didn't order that for you surely?"
"Well yes, I did, I am presuming you don't like it?"
"No I most certainly do NOT!!" he responded.
"Well I'll see it when it gets here," I reply.
Our conversation went on for a few more minutes catching up on the happenings, and then we hung up.
I'm thinking to myself, "Heck what does he know?"  but then again I'm also thinking "Yes, he has great taste, so maybe I made a boo boo with my order or maybe the order was mixed up."
Suffice to say when the bag did arrive, and I opened the package, I was horrified....Carl was right....the bag was not "me" at all....it was an ugly-ass bag for sure.
Even if I had loved it, I didn't love it anymore.
One of my girlfriends came by and she loved it, so it was passed on to her immediately....it didn't even stay a minute.
Carl, my friend, I am thankful that you are my friend, and that you tell it to me straight without mincing matters.....if not I may be walking around with that bag strung over my shoulder and no one else may have told me it was ugly as sin.....thank you for being "you" and thank you for being there for me, and keeping me on track design wise.