A shopper at the Thrift Store came up to the checkout counter and laid an old purse in front of me.
"Is it real leather?" she asked.
I inspected the seams, turning them inside out, and the fibrous texture of the material's underside did feel as if it belonged to a once living creature, but the whole piece had been dyed orange, so it was hard for me to be sure.
"Maybe if I smell it..." I said, and held it up to my nose.
"Yep, that's leather."
The customer, looking doubtful, smelled it herself.
"OK, I'll take it."
"Is it real leather?" she asked.
I inspected the seams, turning them inside out, and the fibrous texture of the material's underside did feel as if it belonged to a once living creature, but the whole piece had been dyed orange, so it was hard for me to be sure.
"Maybe if I smell it..." I said, and held it up to my nose.
"Yep, that's leather."
The customer, looking doubtful, smelled it herself.
"OK, I'll take it."