Happy thanksgiving! May we all enjoy the holiday with wallets in known locations and credit cards & identities uncompromised.

As of tonight the location of my wallet will be well known, but its contents will have gone missing.

Wives inflict far more damage than your common criminal -- especially during the holidays.

 

Yes, you are quite right. It is I who should apologize for being “Way” too upset. In view of this incontrovertible fact, I hereby apologize, to you and all others, for my errant ways. Apparently, there is simply no end to the injustice you must endure when losing your wallet and getting it back intact.

Except, I am not upset and I know where my wallet is at.

Seriously though, let us not quibble on this fine Thanksgiving Day, where we especially give thanks and count our blessings - that we should count every day.

Soon I shall be off to a gathering of friends (about 20-25) to enjoy the day. I am going to bring a Pesto appetizer. I used basil, which I grew. Garlic which was grown by a friend and which I roasted. Reggiano Parmesan (one of the finest cheeses in the world, IMO). Extra virgin olive oil and, of course, pine nuts. Got the proportions right and it is tasty!

I had to press to bring anything at all as the hostess insists on taking care of the whole meal (she does have some help).

It is my sincere hope that you too will enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with family and/or friends. Moreover, I hope it is a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner. One with Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, yams, and all the other goodies.

But dude, try not to blame the Turkey for anything - it is already dead.

And I was not blaming anyone. Just wonder why someone wouldn't behave the way I would. I would have gone to the desk immediately upon finding someone's wallet. Or if I were the manger I would have let the front desk staff know a wallet was in my procession. After thinking about it. I am willing to bet that was it. A break down in communication. Makes sense that the manger would take possession for something as important as a lost wallet.

And there have been studies on this very subject. The researchers left wallets about with sufficient ID to identify the owner. As I recall, it was pretty sobering of how few wallets were turned in.

I seem to be a finder of lost things. Or at least someone else's lost things. One year I found someones ID. Popped in in the mail with a simple note. Merry Christmas (it was around Christmas time.

Another time I found a woman's drivers license. As soon as I got home I looked her up and found a phone #. Called her to let her know not to renew. She asked me to put it in the mail so I did.

Another time I found a man's wallet during a bicycle tour around Lake Ontario. I found the wallet on the bicycle trail that goes up the Niagara River. Trying to figure out what to do since I had no smartphone and no easy way to look the man up. Next thing I know he shows up right in front of me, riding his bicycle. Wanted to give me a reward but I refused. He thanked me and went on his way.

Found a whole bag of items in a very nice bag. Bag included a wallet. No ID, no credit cards. Just cash and a few business cards. I figured since there were so many it had to be his cards so I called the number. Turns out it was the business owner's brother's wallet. I called him up and we made arrangements to meet. He wanted to give me a reward. I refused but if he insisted we could have lunch together at a sandwich shop.

And the one that really upset me is when I found a woman's cell phone on the bike trail in Pittsburgh. I immediately used it to start calling numbers on the phone. Finally got in touch with someone that recognized the phone number. It was the woman's husband. He seemed upset that I picked up the phone off of the trail. He was out looking for it. I guess I should have left it were it was to get damaged or taken by someone not as honest as me.

And Happy Thanksgiving

I am doing all of the cooking this year. Mom is not doing well so I will prepare the meal then head over to her apartment to pick it up. First time I made a turkey all on my own.

 

And I was not blaming anyone. Just wonder why someone wouldn't behave the way I would. I would have gone to the desk immediately upon finding someone's wallet. Or if I were the manger I would have let the front desk staff know a wallet was in my procession. After thinking about it. I am willing to bet that was it. A break down in communication. Makes sense that the manger would take possession for something as important as a lost wallet.

As for my take on the wallet. More than likely it laid wherever it was left for some time before being found and whomever it was turned into likely didn't get on tracking down the owner immediately.

Reason being most people are decent and know that we all tend to check such high priority personal items we carry often so from when it was left until it was used again would be likely fairly short thus the owner would come back soon. Just leave it where it lay until you know it's been the for awhile.

Once it was realized that it was abandoned whoever it was turned into would have started the waiting process over again assuming it had been turned in immediately and the owner had just left and thusly would be back for it soon.

Anyone who has worked in retail or public interaction settings of any kind knows this process for when a customer leave their wallet behind. Give them an hour or two to figure out it's missing then start tracking them down and that's even with a first person knowledge of how long the wallet had been left behind.

As for messing with credit card numbers most thieves are not that smart or ambitious and would not be in a gym to begin with. They are lazy opportunists that would have taken the cash and cards and probably the whole wallet.
Same with smart thieves. Anyone who knows to take card numbers but not the cards or cash is also likely smart enough to be aware of the likelihood of one or more security cameras having seen them do it.

If they are a concern just call the card companies. Odds are you will have brand new,and secure*, cards in hand within 24 - 72 hours.

*Assuming someone in the mail system didn't steam open the envelopes and read the new cards numbers too, because if you're going to be paranoid go all in and just assume everyone is a highly competent and experienced thief that's' out to get you 100% of the time.

 

The time I think I saw something I still regret for not stopping to look. I was on the same tour as the Niagara Falls wallet. I was coming down steep descent. I was moving pretty fast, loaded down with gear.

I passed what looked like a wallet or small pouch. I had to make quick decision. Do I slam on the brakes or just keep going. Figuring it was likely garbage that was really on the side of the road I kept going. After thinking about it I should have stopped.

 

As for my take on the wallet. More than likely it laid wherever it was left for some time before being found and whomever it was turned into likely didn't get on tracking down the owner immediately.

Reason being most people are decent and know that we all tend to check such high priority personal items we carry often so from when it was left until it was used again would be likely fairly short thus the owner would come back soon. Just leave it where it lay until you know it's been the for awhile.

Unlikely. Again read and comprehend. I was only in 3 spots. None where it would have not been immediately noticed. My guess is as I got up from a station the wallet fell out of my pocket. Had I turned around I would have seen it.

And it was no where to be found when I did the first search within minutes of noticing it missing. As mentioned I should have been able to easily find it since I was in such a small area with no hiding places where it could have fallen. A significant amount of time passed after that when I was notified that it was found. Someone probably the manager had it all that time.

Read and comprehend.

 

The time I think I saw something I still regret for not stopping to look. I was on the same tour as the Niagara Falls wallet. I was coming down steep descent. I was moving pretty fast, loaded down with gear.

I passed what looked like a wallet or small pouch. I had to make quick decision. Do I slam on the brakes or just keep going. Figuring it was likely garbage that was really on the side of the road I kept going. After thinking about it I should have stopped.

Last memorable return I did was I saw some lay had left her purse in a shopping cart out in the Walmart parking lot.

I unloaded my groceries and when I went to park my cart in the return corral I just picked up the purse and took it to customer service.

They have cameras all over the place so I figured I was on at least one and called it good from there.

 

Nah, everyone experiences temptation.

Not where true belief in a 'code of conduct' or matters of genuine loyalty are at issue (IMNSHO)...

And if I were to take your sentiment to heart, I would just act on every impulse

If you'll please pardon the liberty, I feel you underestimate yourself! - Again, I assert that one is not and cannot be tempted by that which is genuinely contrary to his/her nature, belief system or, indeed, genuine desire!

Thus it is that while -clearly- the ability to 'resist' temptation is not demonstrative of loyalty, etc -- such is, nonetheless, a manifestation of discipline - which being another (perhaps equality vital) 'quality of character' altogether

Very best regards
HP

 

Man, what the heck happened here? I don't even know what set off this explosion of negativity. I thought we were discussing what might have happened in the 20-or-so minutes the wallet was missing.

Once upon a time an evil dragon named politics descended upon the fair realm of AAC -- The rest of the story is as tragic as it was predictable

With undying (if forlorn) hope
HP