No Pocket Litter

I have no pocket litter, meaning that there is nothing in my pockets, ever. I think that most people have pocket litter: lip gloss, pen, stray money, scraps of paper, lint, a tissue, bits of candy, a lucky token, and other personal items. Smartphones do not fit in most women's tiny, inadequate pockets but men usually carry smartphones in their generously-sized pockets. (The misogynistic, ready-made clothing industry can take that as a complaint.)

I wonder, what is the cultural significance of pocket litter? (I could not find any studies online.)

Full disclosure: I carry a purse with a bunch of stuff in it, but I leave it in the car. I carry my keys, ID, and a bank card in a pouch on a lanyard around my neck, which functions as a pocket but which hopefully deters thieves from targeting me because it is hard to grab. I got tired of having my purse and pockets grabbed at or slithered into so I started using the dorky lanyard method of self-preservation. Well, my vulnerabilities are now in a pouch that hangs around my neck.

I have no pocket litter.

by Annmarie Throckmorton, copyright 2023