The Absent Uncle: A long moment of panic

I went to the grocery store this morning. I had a few things to carry in with me – plastic grocery sacks to recycle, my wife’s watch, which needed a new battery from a vendor at the store, my grocery list, my cell phone, car keys, and of course my wallet.

With a light rain falling, I gathered them all up, stepped out of the car and headed for the store entrance. I dropped off the sack of grocery sacks to recycle near the front entrance, chose a cart and wheeled my way into the store.

My first stop today was the vendor who works magic with the neighborhood’s cell phones and does all those extra things like changing batteries on a watch.  

This time – he did not have the proper tool or replacement battery, so I struck out on that mission and realized I would have to source another fix for the watch. Back in the pocket the watch goes.

The grocery list was not a long one and didn’t contain anything that I would have to search for; all routine items that I started picking up aisle by aisle. I do most of the grocery shopping for our house – I enjoy doing it. (I know – weird.)

I quickly gathered the water, yogurt, bread, muffins, corn chips, then move on to fruits and vegetables. I decide to buy a rotisserie chicken (and look for the freshest one), along with some protein bars that my wife really likes. 

Double check my list – all looks good and I head for the checkout stan.  Since it is a Thursday, mid- to late-morning, it is not busy and I walk up to a clerk and begin to put my items on the moving belt.

We exchange pleasantries as I finish putting my items on the counter. I get ready to put my credit card in the machine. 

And then – I discover I do not have my wallet in my pocket. I must have left it in the car! I explain my situation to the clerk – she is great. “We’re not busy, I will shut down my lane, go find your wallet ‘honey’ – no hurry”. I really loved the “honey” part.

I dash out to the parking lot, retracing my steps and find that my wallet is not in the car. I knew I had it when I got out of the car.

So, the anticipated rest of my day flashed before me; cancel credit cards, get a replacement driver’ license. Stress, stress, stress.

I actually ran back into the store, headed for customer service, and meekly asked if someone had turned in a black folding wallet.

“What’s your name ‘honey’”?  (I never noticed the ‘honey’ thing before, but I kind of like it), and just like that my wallet was back!

Thank you “honey”, whomever you are that picked my wallet up and did the right thing!