I told myself umpteen times to clean out the drawer in the bedside table. The table is quite old, having come down through my father’s family. Someone, not a professional furniture maker, put it together. The drawer never did fit right and is hard to open and close. Nothing used on a daily basis would ever be in there.

I knew I would find a small flashlight without a battery, but I was surprised there were four of them. Packets of tissues were there, the kind you’d put in a pocket or a handbag. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d make you sneeze. A total surprise was a plastic kazoo. I hummed a tune in it and threw it away.

The bulk of the space was taken by twisted charging cords, like a mess of black snakes. Ugh! Hidden among them was a flip phone, my first mobile telephone, not used for ten years. I’ve put those things in a bag and will add other old phones and electronic gear. I plan to find cords to match, charge the items, and wipe them clean. I don’t think anyone would want them, but it’s not good to have personal information stored on old devices.

If you have a bedside table with a drawer, do you know what is in it? You could be surprised!