Dear friends, family, and frenemies,
Kids often remind us that life is more fun and interesting than we think it is. Recently, my six-year-old grandson Finn announced that the three happiest days of his life were these:
1. The day he found Papa's wallet
2. The day he was born
3. The day he married his first-grade classmate Nadine
I hadn't been invited to the wedding, so I had no comment on number three. I agree that number two was quite remarkable. But I burst out laughing when I heard number one. I remember that day very well. Finn and I were in our swimsuits waiting for Papa Bob to come home from his workout at the recreation center so that the three of us could go back there and swim. Bob drove in the driveway and announced that he couldn't find his wallet. As we say in our family, here comes "ye olde wallet search." He had already checked to see if it had been turned in at the recreation center, but it hadn't. He wondered if he had left it elsewhere. I did my part: I called Starbucks. Meanwhile Bob and Finn searched the car. You haven't searched for something until you've searched with my husband. He would make a zealous posse of cops with a search warrant look like slackers. He can turn over and disrupt more space in no time flat than a toddler let loose with a shelf of books. Flashlights were engaged. Car rugs were overturned, shaken, and thrown on to the driveway. The console was emptied. The seats were moved and inspected. Debris was removed and tossed from underneath the seats. The plastic bag of garbage was perused. The trunk was scrutinized.
Next it was time to search Pap's briefcase. The contents were dumped on the table and carefully inspected. No wallet. Things were getting serious. The next step was to go back to campus and retrace Bob's steps from the parking garage to Starbuck's. At this point, I suggested that Finn and I just go swim while Bob continued his search. But Finn wasn't having it. He wanted to go with Papa. They walked carefully through the parking garage and along the sidewalks, looking behind pillars and underneath bushes. When they arrived at Starbucks, they questioned a potential witness -- the manager -- regarding the billfold's whereabouts. He had no information. They went to the booth where Bob had sat and thoroughly examined the seats and floor, before heading to the bathroom. No luck. They trekked slowly back to the parking garage with eagle eyes.
Bob decided they should go back to the recreation center and check again. They went in and scoured the dressing room, gym, and everywhere in between. Still no luck. Finally, Bob decided to ask another person behind the desk at the recreation center if his billfold had been turned in. Guess what? It had. It had been found in the parking lot. It was minus $30, but is was otherwise intact.
Various theories were put forth about how the wallet had landed in the parking lot. Had Bob dropped it it as it he had gotten out of the car? Had he left it in the dressing room and the thief had taken the money and then dropped it in the parking lot? Had someone at the desk taken the money? All are intriguing questions that gave us plenty to discuss. Finn? he didn't mind that he never got to go swimming. He had been on a quest. And the quest had ended successfully. Who needs to play Zelda or read Lord of the Rings when you can go on a real live expedition with your grandfather? And that, my friends, is why Finn considers the day they found Papa's wallet to be the happiest day of his life.
Tizhap
I went to the recreation center yesterday as I usually do. When I was leaving I got to yakking with a friend. I picked up my keys and left. Usually, I go right home, but Bob had gone with me, so I needed to kill time until he was done. I chatted with a few more people and walked three laps before we went to the parking lot. It was then that I discovered that the keys I had were not my own. I ran back in the the rec center to discover a very distraught fellow exerciser with a friend who was offering her a ride home. They were very glad to see me. My actions had only kept her in a complete panic for about twenty-five minutes. One of these days I will pay attention to what I'm doing Really. I promise. Until then Tiz will just keep "hap" -ing I guess. .
Questing and jesting,
I remain
Tizzie/Tiz/Liz/Elizabeth/Mom/Tizmom/Grandma
