Saturday, April 14, 2012

The Grand Adventure: Part II

During my whole bus adventure, I had been keeping in contact through text message with a friend. Wanting to let them know that I was alright and made it home, I dug into my bag. Problem was, no phone.

I have this habit where I place my phone on one leg while I’m waiting for text messages so that my hands are free but it is within reach for quick responding. A few times I’ve done this in the car (since it is illegal to use cellphones in the car, I always want ready access to my phone as soon as I stop) and then gotten out of the car, leaving my phone to slide onto the seat without my noticing. This time, that occurred on the public bus.

Normally I would despair. Losing my phone unleashes so many problems from cancelling service to people worrying about me to getting a new one to not getting my errands done because I freak out about it. I must have been high on the community feeling though, because I quickly formulated a plan.

I figured out when the bus would come around a second time (about an hour), and ran some errands while I waiting. While I was checking my work schedule, one of my coworkers called my phone with no answer. I used social media to get in touch with the friend I had been texting with on the bus so they knew I was alright.

I caught the bus on its trip around and asked the bus driver about my phone. He was gruff, but he told me it would be in the lost and found at the main bus terminal. I knew where that was! I hopped in my car and drove over, even remembering to bring quarters for the meter. When I reached the lost and found I described my phone. The kind woman said she did not have that phone, but that the bus I was on parks on the main floor, so they wouldn’t receive it until the following day. Though I knew my day was busy, I didn’t think it would be too difficult to come back the next day. I went home to finish unpacking.

When I returned home I had several emails and messages, all from the friend I had contacted. He had called my phone and Supervisor 57 had answered, saying he’d be in the main bus terminal until eleven. Though I had just been there, I turned around and went back.

After wandering the now closed terminal, looking for a sort of office and asking the Dunkin’ Donuts clerk if she knew where I could find a supervisor to no avail, I saw a man who looked like a cop talking to a bus driver. He was right by the lost and found office, so I wandered over there. The uniformed officer asked me what I was looking for. I replied, “Supervisor 57.” That was him. There is a picture of me on my phone, so I didn’t even need identification (which is good because I had left it in the car). I thanked him profusely and went home to finally finish unpacking.

I was so giddy about having my phone back I contacted everyone, asking about plans and work schedules and everything. I went to write down a time in my planner, and that is when I started laughing. My planner was missing too.

I walked through my frantic phone search and concluded it was at work. I ran barefoot down the street until I was about halfway there when I realized I had filled prescriptions from my planner after I had checked my work schedule. I called the pharmacy and they had my planner. Now being a crazy person who forgets everything and runs around barefoot, I kept laughing at myself all evening. I collected my planner that night and actually got a few errands done.

End Part II

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