Bindle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bindle (from German das Bündel = bundle, bale[citation needed]) is a term used to describe the bag, sack, or carrying device used by the (commonly American) sub-culture of hobos.
In popular culture the bindle is portrayed as being a stick with cloth or a blanket tied around one end for the carrying of items, with the entire array being carried over the shoulder. Particularly in cartoons, the bindles' sacks usually have polka-dotted designs. However, in actual use the bindle can take many forms, such as a backpack or carrier bag, meaning that bindle is specifically a term to identify bags or carrying devices used by hobos.
Though bindles are rarely seen anymore (hobos of the late 20th Century and early 21st Century most often prefer shopping carts, even though these are notoriously difficult to haul onto a hopped freight train), bindles are still widely seen in popular culture as a prevalent anachronism.
[edit] Drug Culture
The word bindle is also a street term that can be used to describe a small bag of heroin that varies in weight under one gram.
[edit] Forensics
Bindle is also a term used in forensics. It is the name for a piece of paper folded to hold trace evidence - not to be confused with a pharmaceutical fold.
[edit] Trivia
- The Simpsons frequently features hobos sporting bindles, possibly motivated by writer John Swartzwelder's fascination with Preston Sturges films, in which bindles can be seen.
