REVIEWS: The Handbag by Michael Augustin

Jumping ahead here a bit because I found this short-short absolutely delightful. Is it a story? Yes. A robber has a certain method of operation to snatch purses. Complication arises in the antagonist of 82 year-old Elisabeth Schroeder. Instead of things happening as expected, Elisabeth fails to let go of her grip on her handbag, holding on even as she is knocked to the ground.

Now this part reads a little brief, and could have been elaborated upon with some imagery without suffering for the addition. It is merely told in a few sentences how the robber need drag Elisabeth behind him for hours since neither is giving up their hold. The resolution comes when he tires and she takes over, dragging him along as she goes about her business.

Now this goes on for three years (succinctly put in the narrative) and the great turnabout is this: The situation becomes an accepted normal scenario and the suggestion is that the two characters have something going on between them in the form of attraction.

I really liked this one for its concept, it’s clever twist and its fable-like presentation, though I probably would prefer it be fleshed out a bit to develop the characters and to show what this tug of wills really involved.