You may recall my story about the three fifty dollar bills I accidentally left behind at the bank machine and a kind stranger turned in. Well, sit tight because I seem to have an angel still riding on my shoulder.
This is today's alarming, but funny in the end, story. yesterday we were on our way to Penticton for the 50th anniversary of recruit classes 1,2 and 3. They all started in 1975 which was the year Canada levelled the playing field for men and women in the work force. I was in class 2. After getting up at 0400, we caught the 0745 Duke Point ferry to the mainland and then did the drive to Mission where we had the pleasure of meeting up with my niece and her husband for lunch at the Mission White Spot. After a wonderful visit it was time to hit the road.. we had places to go and people to see. I headed out to our car, followed by niece and hubby while Kathy paid the bill 😀.
Approaching our car, I used the keys to unlock it (with the usual chirp, chirp) and then turned around for a final chat with my niece. We three had a great chat and then off they went. I turned back to the direction I'd heard the chirps and opened the back door of the car to look for the paper with the address for where we were going. The back seat was a jumble and when I checked my briefcase, not only were the papers I was looking for not there, but there were a few things missing too. I kept searching and tossed the clothes around looking for that damn paper. I made quite a mess. I was getting pretty concerned about these facts and even a little confused as things just didn't feel right. Then I stopped and actually focused as I searched through my consternation for an explanation… that was when I noticed our hanging clothes were missing too. AND, JUST BEFORE I LOST MY TEMPER, I CAME TO MY SOMEWHAT SHAKEY SENSES….and realized that…OH MY GOD!!! This was not our car!! I was in some one else's car, causing a catastrophic mess , and likely about to be arrested for attempted theft from auto…if the owners caught me. I backed out of there in a great big hurry, moved next door to our actual car (which was also unlocked) and resumed my search for the papers.
At that point Kathy came back to the car and I explained my horrible mistake. In my defence, the car I ransacked had the same shape and design as Kathy's Subaru and it had been unlocked, presumably by Kathy's key fob. We decided it was time to leave before someone reported me so off we went and headed to Harrison Hot springs. We finally arrived at our destination and started unpacking the car into 'The Nest' (which is lovely) and towards the end of the unpacking, I started looking for my purse. It s a smallish leather hip pack which can often be overlooked due to its size and colour…. And I couldn't find it anywhere. NOW THAT WAS CAUSE FOR PANIC!!!! Which I did. Hyperventilated… the whole nine yards ! after thinking about where it could be… we finally arrived at the conclusion that it had fallen into the other car and then been buried by the mess I made with the clothes in the back seat… there could be no other explanation.
We phoned the White Spot..but it was not there . Then Kathy remembered the air tag she had put into my bag and she checked it s location. it was east bound on a road not far from the White Spot! So we called the RCMP and explained our situation and the fact we were tracking the car. They were really good and/but while Kathy was speaking to them she saw the car had stopped and she gave the officer the address where it was. HERE'S THE GOOD PART. HE INFORMED US THAT WAS THE ADDRESS OF THE MISSION RCMP and, in fact the folks were in the process of turning in my bag, having found it inside their car. There was nothing for it but that we had to drive back to Mission to the RCMP offices and claim the bag. An hour later, having retraced our journey, we arrived at their office and then waited about 45 minutes for the mother and daughter to return to the office so that we could confirm how my fob had unlocked their vehicle. Turns out it hadn't. Mom had forgotten to lock the one back door that didn't lock automatically. FINAL CHAPTER: after almost tearful thank you's and hugs all around, mom and daughter headed home, I got to thank and then congratulate a young RCMP woman who had been 'on the job' for a whole three months… and tell her the story about why 1975 was such an important year for women in the work force… and reclaim my bag. And then we drove all the way back to Harrison Hot springs where we are stayed for the night. We did take time to have a nice dinner at the Greek Restaurant. I really must have an angel looking after me… AND I shall be encouraging everyone I know…to put an AirTag inside their purses, suitcases, etc. As I get older I will probably wear one around my neck on a chain 😀 All is good and we are fine thanks to my guardian angel and an air tag. Onward and upward we go.
