Overlooking Budapest was amazing on this warm summer's day, the view was fantastic, Noriko was hot desiring an ice cream. As I had just been to the bank, I was in possession of large notes only, she was duly tasked with the purchase of ice creams. Now Budapest is a cheap city to visit, she unloaded two dollars (AUD) on two ice creams, excellent value, hardly worth complaining about for gelati.
We wandered over to the wall for some fantastic photo opportunities overlooking the city, excellent views, I only hope the photographs do the view justice, she wanted some more gelati.
Climbing down, Noriko noticed another gelati stall, upon inspection, her face changed as she saw this was cheaper than the last vendor. I saw the look of disappointment in her face and immediately offered to buy her an ice cream, double scoop this time to make up for the indignity of actually having to purchase something on this trip.
When I reached into my wallet and pulled out one of these new banknotes issued by the ATM, the server immediately gasped "I cannot change this." The onus now moved to Noriko, as she already had her gelati firmly in hand, there was no backing down. I was to possibly see this famed money purse I had heard about in legends. She opened her bag, carefully blowing dust off the zipper, she reached in pushing aside cobwebs and then, the moment of truth, the purse appeared. I stood there dumbfounded, I have heard of the legend of Noriko's purse, I never thought I would live to see this fabled possession in the flesh. This was an earth shattering moment.
A crowd had gathered, no doubt to witness the breaking of the seal of Noriko's now exposed purse, she slowly began to unzip her purse with trembling hands, I reached for my dark glasses as the brilliant light escaped the confines of the tightly packed purse. The moment of truth arrived, she pulled out a neatly folded 1000 HUF note (5 AUD), with a quivering lip and watering eyes, she handed the cash over, the assembled crowd gasped as she tightly held the crisp banknote, knuckles white with tension until she slowly released her grip and the currency slipped through her grasp.
I knew I had witnessed a truely memorable moment, this is the first time I had seen her pull her purse out and view its interior. I have heard the story of the pegasus, the legendary winged horse and Medusa, the woman with snakes for hair who has the ability to turn men to stone by just looking at her image and now the legend of Noriko's purse.
Today, a myth no less conceivable than the pegasus and Medusa had be shattered.
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