Summary

The story begins with a description of "a large woman" with a massive purse that contains a myriad of things, "everything in it but a hammer and nails" (1). One night, around 11 o'clock, the woman is walking home. A young boy comes up behind her and attempts to grab her purse. The strap breaks, but the boy is so overwhelmed by the weight of the purse that he loses his balance and falls to the ground. The woman kicks him on his backside and picks him up by his shirt, shaking him. She tells him to pick up her purse. He does, and she asks if he is ashamed of himself. He tells her he is, and she asks why he tried to steal her purse. The boy tells her he did not mean to, and she tells him he is lying. The woman asks...