Hey, it’s my birthday today! The sun is shining and the day should be full of nothing more than fun and possibilities. I’ll start my own personal celebration just as soon as I run a few errands. Let’s do it quickly.
I just have to drop this mail at the post office. Why drive on a day like today? I’ll walk, reminding myself that I am still healthy at my age. My Apple Watch confirms it with every step.
Theore, that’s done. Now I’m going to walk home and seize the day. Wait, WHERE’S MY WALLET? Oh no, it was in my pocket with my phone. I remember pulling my phone out to accept a “Happy Birthday” call. Could it be that…? Yes, my wallet is now somewhere on the streets of Chicago.
Within seconds, my birthday has devolved into mental angst, heart palpitations and a series of profanities, spoken at various levels and heard, unfortunately, by passersby including school children. Sorry, kids. Yes, I should watch my language, but you have no idea what I’m facing. On my birthday nonetheless.
You see, in this city of 3 million people that wallet is now resting in the hands of somebody who just gained 80 bucks in cash. Someone who is eyeing two credit cards and could easily walk into any retail establishment from a grocery store to an electronics store and emerge with whatever he or she desires, courtesy of me. It’s been nearly 30 minutes since I realized the wallet was missing. Plenty of time for multiple transactions.
Please Chicago, Don’t Live Up to Your Image
What other scenario is there? This is Chicago, depicted by the media as a crime-infested hellhole brimming with homicides, crooked politicians and dishonesty. May as well begin the checklist of items I need to complete for being so careless, so stupid, so…(insert profanity here).
I’ll start with locking my credit cards. At least I still have my phone, so all it takes is one swipe on the bank’s website. A call to the bank confirms nobody has purchased a new Playstation, or anything else for that matter. Do I feel better? Can I resume celebrating my new milestone?
Heck no, because I have to get to work. Now how exactly am I going to do that? My driver’s license is gone, and so is my bus pass. My cash was in my wallet, as were my ATM cards, so I can’t make a withdrawal. Oh well, at least I can Uber. No, no I can’t because I just locked my credit cards. How fast before rideshare drivers realize that?
I’m told I should receive new cards in five to seven business days. Of course, things like this only happen at the end of the work week, or on holidays. I’m heading overseas in three days. I need a credit card. At first pleasant but now annoyed, the bank agent says she will expedite a new card, which will only take one to three business days. Still not enough time. She gives me some convoluted explanation about how I can link Apple Pay to my new credit card. I have no idea what she’s talking about.
Thank You Social Media!
I ride my bike to work. I check my phone. An email pops up with the subject line, “Your wallet.” Somebody named Mario not only found it but took the time to research my social media accounts, leading him to my website and my email address.
He lives blocks from me. He found the wallet outside a neighborhood drugstore. I meet him after work. He tells me he is from Croatia, sells Volkswagens and has two young children. He begrudgingly accepts 50 bucks.
I didn’t ask for this on my birthday but received the best gift ever.
The realization that there are good people in the world. Honest people who put others before themselves and expect nothing in return.
Washington could use a boatload of Marios.
