What would you carry if the aliens swooped down and abducted you?  Actually, that’s a joke.  But the idea of a “run out the door with the minimum essentials in your hand” bag or backpack is a good one. So what would *you* carry as an absolute essential if you had to run out the door because the house was burning, the floodwaters were rising and lightning was striking?

Here are some of my ideas, but this list is by no means comprehensive or complete.

pack it all in a Camelback or equivalent so you have a built-in water bottle
Leatherman or other tool
good utility knife
gloves
hand towel
propane lighter (not matches) & small bottle of lighter fluid.
candles
parachute cord (at least 30 feet)
flashlight
credit cards
cash
ID’s like driver’s license & passport
socks
underwear
Toothbrush & razor
soap
toothpaste
extra medications if you need them
tin foil
2 1-gallon-size ziplock bags
granola bars or equivalent for energy
Tang or powdered Gatorade
small medicine bottle chlorine bleach w/ eye dropper

I could go on but what else would You, O Reader, take?  Write in and let’s discuss.