My first memory is of being carried on my mother's hip to a public 4th of July fireworks display. I remember her purse, which was made of brown leather in a structured saddlebag style, with an embossed design on it. I remember humidity and dark and people and, finally, the noise and fire and colors. It confused me.

I’ve told mom about this off and on over the years, and she says that it’s a completely impossible memory because I would have been four months old at the time. But she also says the details are correct, especially that purse.

I did love her purse, by the way. So much so that I had a miniature version of it as a child and later bought a more unstructured, undecorated version of it as one of my First Adult Purses.

(hat tip to Collin)