There is all sort of panic going on at the mall today because it is the last weekend before Christmas:
- The panic of people who just started their shopping.
- The panic of people trying to find those last few gifts.
- The panic of people trying to find the right size, color, or price amount.
- The panic of people fighting their way through crowds and traffic.
- The panic of people standing in line to pay for their gifts and discovering their wallet is missing.
Oh, wait. As far as I could tell that last description only fit me! Some of the other descriptions might fit me also, but the last one is the one that totally defines the word panic for me.
Let me set the scene.
Pastor Dad, the Bear, and I are at one of the local malls. We split up to do our individual shopping. I go into a certain specialty store, which shall remain nameless lest it spoil the surprise for someone in this family who is known to stop by here occasionally. I find THE PERFECT GIFT and there is one left. One left! I elbow my way through the crowd and grab it. (Just kidding.)
I politely picked up "the gift" and made my way to the 3 mile long line in the front of the store. Thankfully, there was a 3 mile long line. Read that again carefully, because you will probably never hear me say that ever again. But on this day I am thankful there was a 3 mile long line. Otherwise, I would've been standing at the cash register when sheer panic engulfed me. I thought it nice while waiting in line to extract my wallet from its assigned place within the backpack-size bag that serves as my purse (don't ask!) but my wallet was gone!!!!!!
I put the "item" back on the shelf and walked calmly out of the store. I didn't scream (at least not at that moment) or exhibit any of the signs of a woman whose blood pressure had just doubled in the last 10 seconds. How do I know all this? Well, as I exited the store I passed the Bear and asked him if he'd seen Pastor Dad. Bear didn't see anything out of the ordinary in the way I was acting - which could be a good or bad thing - considering it means I always look like I'm suffering conniption fits, or Bear doesn't notice me one bit anyway, or I really did look like I was in control of my faculties at the moment. I'm optimistically voting for the latter.
I raced to the car to check to see if it was there. And of course, it wasn't.
The last time I saw my wallet was on Thursday. Remember question #18 of the 50 posted yesterday? That's right. The last time I saw my wallet was way back then! Not a good feeling.
But all's well that ends well. The wallet had fallen out at home. Pastor Dad found it on the floor where it had fallen out sometime within the last two days. I think I'm going to need to assign the wallet a better place in the backpack because it's regular spot should now officially be listed as one of the causes of high blood pressure.
P.S. Happy Birthday Polly! Gram intends to do a post about you AFTER the party!
That story raised my blood pressure and I don't even have blood pressure "issues".
ReplyDeleteGlad it was found!
Now, to figure out the identity of the person who isn't getting the perfect gift...
Phewwww! Sure glad you found your wallet. Did that recently with my workplace name tag and the attached computer card that allows entrance everywhere into our buildings. I thought I had compromised security. On a hunch I phone hubby at home. I had left it at home, put a magazine on top and then didn't see it.
ReplyDeleteNow too bad you haven't got that perfect gift for your loved one!
Updates:
ReplyDelete1. I'll answer the question about "who" was going to get the perfect gift without the "what it was" part just in case I can't find another one: It was the person who already got the perfect gift this year when he married my daughter. THAT should narrow it down significantly. And he better agree with my assessment! :)
2. I had to go back out to the grocery store a little bit ago. You know that part about the raised blood pressure? Well, I wasn't lying. :(
my lisa is the same way!! Last year she is in carters and calls me frantically saying how her credit cards all 2 of them were gone!
ReplyDeleteI said come get in the car. she runs to the car opens here purse and empties it and sure enough the cards had fell out into her purse. Thank you lord. This year at costco we were pushing a cart around and decided we didn't need a cart. Then less than 5 minutes later lisa is frantic where is that cart? I thought well the kids are at grandmas so what's the problem? she says my purse was in that cart!!! So she runs as fast i have seen her run and the cart was in the exact place we left it and purse was in tact! Thanks you lord!