Leaving Things in Cars

I've had a hell of a time with leaving important objects in cars recently.

Last week, I left my wallet in the car when I came home. The next morning, as Susie leaves for work, she says to me, "Travis, I think the other car needs gas."

After she leaves, I notice I have no wallet. No cash. No credit cards. No ID.

OK, that's bad. I look in my secret stash for some extra bucks -- nothing there, I guess I needed it previously.

So now, I'm looking around the apartment for loose change and I manage to scrounge up about $6 in quarters, nickels and dimes, which I take to the local gas station and that's enough to get me to work and back safely.

But that's not bad enough. No, when I get to work, I can't get into the parking garage because I don't have my parking card, so I have to park in visitor parking.

Of course, that day, I'm supposed to be taking a job candidate out to lunch. So I have to keep this fellow waiting while I go across the street to the bank machine with another guy from work so I can borrow $20 so I can take this guy out.

On the way back into the building, I realize I don't have my door card, so I have to knock until someone comes to let me in the side entrance. For the record, this all makes me look really suave.

Then later, after work, I head across the street to have a beer. It's not something I do very often, and I've been trying to arrange this with my busy co-worker for a long time. We get to the bar, and I get IDed. Of course. My friend, he doesn't want to drink if I'm not, so we bag it and decide to do it some other day.

At which point I try to get back into the building but have no card, so I have to walk all the way around the building to get back in.

Sigh.

So, I learn my lesson: I vow "never to leave my wallet in the car again."

Then, Sunday, Susie and I are driving back from a friend's place, and I leave my keys in the car.

Next morning, I go to get ready for work, and now even though the car is full of gas, I can't drive it anywhere. After looking around the house for 30 minutes I finally accept I'm a moron, and I call a cab and take the cab to USC, where I wait for Susie to get out of a faculty meeting so I can borrow her car and head to Variety.

Sigh squared.

This time I'm more clever, I vow "never to leave ANYTHING important in the car."

Stay tuned.

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