Mr. Roe, Throw Out This Wallet!

Well, I'm finally getting rid of my wallet. I've had other wallets that I've used for the proliferation of cards we've had over the years, but for the last twenty years, this has been my main wallet.

And here's what's so remarkable about it.

Yes, it says, "Made in German D. R." And if you know your twentieth-century geopolitics, you'll know that is the German Democratic Republic. And you'll further recognize that as the official name of East Germany. Yes, my wallet was one of the few products made during the eleven months between the fall of communism and the German reunification. I'm sure there couldn't have been much produced in that time. Say, a few hundred wallets, some watered-down beer and three-and-a-half Trabants.

But I appreciate the work of those semi-socialist workers and leather from The People's cows. Aside from the historic curiosity, I've enjoyed the irony of getting my money out of a communist wallet.