Leave home without it!

It's taken me days to be able to actually write about what happened last week.  It wasn't anything horrible or life altering but reflects the kind of scatterbrained person I am becoming.  It all started simply enough, after I got one little lady off to school, I decided to run a few errands to pick up some picture frames for an upcoming project.  I grabbed my keys and my credit cards in a move that will forever go down in my personal history as the silliest mistake that I've made.  My other littler lady and I cruise through the aisles of the shops, giggling, playing and just having an overall blast that can be associated with both too much coffee and the absence of people in the store because of our early morning shopping.  We grab a few things and head to the checkout.

What comes next starts a series of events that seem to be typical of my life and perhaps yours...

I reach into my pocket, only to find a cell phone and car keys.  No credit cards.  Hummm....run out to the car, grab my bag.....no credit cards.   Flustered, I run back into the store, my littlest lady, still happy (although not giggling) holds on tightly and seems aware of our mission.  I explain the situation to the checkout person who takes my name and phone number and I let her know that I'll use another form of payment.  "We don't take American Express" (of course you don't) and as I look down into my wallet, I see two American Express cards glaring back at me.  It doesn't matter that one is gold and the other is silver.  That status makes no difference so I scrape up the little bits of crumbled bills, pay and we head out to retrace our steps.  Now, if this was an episode of the 321 Contact's Bloodhound Gang, it would be quite exciting...but it's real life and Sydney is starting to feel like a ton of bricks as I'm dragging her through the store.  No luck....I head out to the parkinglot and the wind is whipping and again, no sign of my cards.  I head home, mad at myself and wondering where the missing cards could be.

Then starts the phone calls....first to my husband, who happens to be more understanding and calm than expected (although I'm certain that I will hear about this at some point in the future).  Then, to the bank - who tells me that I can easily get a replacement card issued.  I head out, pick up my bigger lady and all three of us show up at the bank, ready to rectify the situation.  I find out that their debit card re-writer is broken and that I'll have to go 20 minutes away to get the new card established.  Ok, "Can we use the restroom?"  I look at her eagerly as if to channel some maternal instinct that this fit and fashionable woman might have.  "Sorry, no public restrooms."  Of course not, I think to myself...

We head out to the next bank and in the car I hear, "Oooohhhhh I lost a tooth - but it's in my jacket!"  We speed to the bank and we walk like solders into the branch in and effort to salvage the tiny front tooth.  We sit in the chairs, explain the situation and hear, "Oh, sorry but all the bank is out of debit re-writers."  I felt tears welling up in my head.  This lady, actually has a sense of compassion and offers our restroom to the three defeated ladies staring, in bewilderment, across from her.  We go inside, Riley opens her coat and we search for the tiny, white tooth that is attached to the puppy's paw that is reflected on her shirt.  "Good boy", Riley mutters....and I feel a sense of calm come over me.  In the madness of the day, we found the little tooth - the 2nd one to come out and I realize that the most important "find" of the day has just occurred.  We finish our business, calmly walk out of the bank and head home, smiling....

Smiling until (of course) we step inside, listen to our messages and hear that our credit cards were found in the parking lot of on of the shops.  SO, back into our car we go - to retrieve the recently canceled cards.  "At least I won't be spending money for a few days", I think to myself, look in my rearrview mirror and smile at the two most precious cargo.  "See Mom, it all worked out", Riley says just as Sydney, starts to have a meltdown that is associated with a three hour car ride.

My advice to you?  Keep your credit cards in your wallet...or at home, you'll spend less anyway!

(pictures from schoollibraryjournal.com)