We’re a strange bunch us humans, aren’t we? “That’s too nice to throw away” we say, “I’ll KEEP that”. What we don’t mean is “I’ll put that card / wrapper / heart-shaped crisp / whatever somewhere where I can see it every day”. Instead, It goes in a keepsake box, then in the loft for one of you to dig out every couple of years. “You want this?” you’ll say. “Oh I can’t throw that away, it’s too nice”. It goes back in the loft.

I’ve decided the loft needs clearing. I’ve already found a set of fossilised Yuletide jelly sweets I bought for Gail in Christmas 1987. Pushing away the wish that if I could have fifteen minutes of ’87 back – Please God! – then I could watch Gail eat them, I’ve had to throw them away. Shame: ultimately a loving gift that nobody got pleasure from. Today, wondering what was under THERE, I’ve found an empty Swarovski Bombay Gin bottle and box. I remember buying it for Gail one Christmas, the Gin went quickly .. and the box / bottle? Well, that’s too nice plus it’s got Swarovski crystals on it. You can’t throw that away, you must KEEP it.

Now every fibre of my being is saying I should put this out for the glass collection on Tuesday. After all, it’s not mine and I don’t need it. If I keep it then one day my kids will find it and not even know the story of why it’s in a box in my loft. Why leave it to them? It’s pointless and unfair.

Then I thought of the final irony. If I post this on Facebook, I will get a reminder of this bottle, next year, five years, ten – if I’m still here. In fact, long after I’ve gone this bottle with remain on a server somewhere; a symbol of love between two people. That’s settled it. It’s going out. It IS nice though…. (Note: I still have it but it’s NOT in the loft)