Losing things...

Who has lost something important, like their wallet, keys or mind? Come on, I know you’re out there. Did you ever find them again? Here’s a story of hope for you…

My darling wife was working a couple of months ago, helping with some deliveries. It involved some machinery, a trailer, a water bottle and a set of keys. In order to load the trailer, my wife put her water bottle and keys on the hitch of the trailer. After getting everything ready, she and her partner hopped into the truck and started off into the countryside.

Just out of town, she realized that the bottle and keys were still on the back of the truck. Since they were in a bit of traffic, they couldn’t stop right away and decided to continue to the client’s place.

Lo and behold, they jumped out of the truck and found the water bottle sitting pretty as you please on the hitch! Unfortunately, the keychain, with a gazillion keys, a flashlight and a Tigger plush key fob were nowhere to be found.

A slow drive along the highway and around the shop yielded no results as well. After a day or two of searching, checking the RCMP detachment and all the usual haunts for wayward keys, we deemed them lost for good.

My wife was devastated. Tigger had been on her keys and in her purse for many years. As a matter of fact, it was the only way she could actually find her keys in her purse. There was angst, let me tell you.

I took a morning to replace her keys, at least all the keys I had copies of, and found another, more mundane key fob for her. Another little flashlight and the set was complete. All was well in the world again.

Then it happened. Again. After two weeks! My darling came home from work without her keys. Once more, the search was on! Slow drives along the streets, looking in storm drains, the works. Nothing. Nada. Bupkis (great word!).

Back to the locksmith, redo all the keys again, maybe make another set (just in case) and this time, she gets a huge floating key fob, painted in bright orange. Lose that, I dared her! Actually, I only thought that. No use adding fuel to the fire.

Move to the present day. It’s my wife’s birthday coming up and I was stuck for a present for her. As I was helping bring in groceries from the car, one of the mats had a lump underneath it that wouldn’t go away no matter how much I ignored it. I picked up the offending piece of carpet and what do I find? The second set of keys!

Somehow she had dropped them into the car all those months ago and didn’t realize it. There was much rejoicing and smiles all around, having recovered a couple of keys we didn’t have spares for.

It’s almost the best birthday present I’ve ever given her! I think the best was the tool box full of her very own tools…

The most amazing thing was yet to come. A day later, a courier company knocked on the door and delivered a package for my darling. Not recognizing the return address, she ripped open the carton and once again, lo and behold again, there sat her first set of keys! Really!

The War Amps tag was still attached and some kind soul found the keys on the side of the road and popped them into the mail. A few of the keys were worse for wear, having been run over by a few vehicles. Want to know the best thing? Tigger was still intact!

I do believe it was one of the best birthday weeks my darling wife has ever had. And it should give everyone hope that whatever you’ve lost or misplaced, there’s a good chance you’ll find it. 

Probably in the last place you look…