Last Friday morning I made a quick trip to a local store to pick up a few things we needed. I drove straight there, made a small purchase and returned directly home. I remained at home the rest of the day. That evening when my wife got off work she asked it I’d like to go out to eat. That’s when I discovered “I was missing.”

Well, it wasn’t really me that was missing but my wallet with all my ID and cards. The legal me that can drive and buy stuff and prove who he is, that me was no where to be found.

I’ve been known to absentmindedly put my wallet someplace “safe” on occasion so at first I wasn’t worried. However, after my wife and I unsuccessfully searching the house as well as my car, fear began quickly leaking in like water through the rusty bottom of an old metal rowboat.

Raising the situation to code orange, I called the store I’d visited that morning to see if perhaps someone had found my wallet and turned in it. Even though the store person assured me by phone that no one had found it, we quickly drove there and personally had them check not only the front desk but also the office in back…no wallet.

Returning home I made a dash to my computer to check my accounts on-line for suspicious transactions. There were none and still hasn’t been any. I’m very lucky.

This weekend I made all the necessary calls to report my cards lost and to order new replacement cards as well as to order a duplicate of my drivers license. I’d quit carrying my SSN in my wallet some time ago and I’m certainly glad it wasn’t there.

When the banks opened this morning I went to the nearest branch to get a temporary debit card for my checking account so I could purchase the necessities of life. Luckily I had my passport to establish my identity.

So over the next five to seven working days I will be rebuilding a wallet and re-establishing myself as a viable consumer and citizen of this fair land.

Of course Murphy’s law states that as soon as I have all the new cards and documents my old wallet with turn up.

I did try to make something good out of this. At a point in my life I relied more on credit cards to get by. After the experience of a few hard years paying those outstanding balances off, I decided while I was calling the banks that I would simply close all credit card accounts except for my main one. There hadn’t been a balance or use of them for a long while anyway.

This is the first time I’ve lost my wallet and I’ll be more then happy if it’s the last. It’s a terrible feeling.