A Harrowing Experience

 

Sometimes things happen when you least expect it.  I had gone to the hospital for a follow-up and decided to drive myself there since it's not too far from where I live.  As I swiped my card on the machine at the hospital entrance and drove in, I was happy to find a parking space and went straight for my appointment.  

An hour later, when I had finished and made my way to the payment counter, I found to my horror that the small bag where I keep my cards, IC and driving licence was missing from my handbag.  Luckily I had kept the card which I used for swiping in my trouser pocket, so I could pay and get out of the hospital. Thinking I must have dropped my bag somewhere, I then rushed to my car and searched it but found nothing.  Next I asked the clinic whether they had seen my bag, but I received a negative reply.  By this time, I was getting panicky.  Telling myself to calm down, I re-traced my steps from the moment I entered the hospital.  Something clicked - I had opened my car door and gone down from my car to swipe my card as I could not reach the machine from my car.  So my bag which I had put on my lap could have fallen down onto the ground.  I ran to the machine and searched the whole area but couldn't find anything.  I then decided to try the Lost & Found but they said no one had turned in anything.

There was nothing more I could do except make a police report.   I drove home miserably, blaming myself for my carelessness and resigned myself to an evening in the police station.

When I  arrived home, I saw that a car was hovering near my gate like it was looking for someone's address.  To my surprise, the driver stopped the car when he saw me, got out and held up - you've guessed it - my bag!  Then he said, "Are you so and so ....I found your bag!"  You can imagine how great was my relief!  He said he found it near the hospital entrance (where I had swiped my card and dropped my bag as well) and looked all over the hospital for me. When he couldn't find me, he decided to drive to my house.   I thanked him fervently, gave him a small cash reward and he went off smiling.  I must say I'm very lucky that he was honest and knew how desperate the owner of that bag must be!  God bless him!

I suppose it's not a matter of life and death but think how troublesome it would be to go through all the steps to get a new IC done, cancel my cards and so on.  As I mentioned before, life does give me a few thrills now and then - but not too often, I hope.