It's a beautiful spring Sunday here in Seattle. I met with my boss at the 14 Carrot Cafe for breakfast to go over some stuff and then decided to visit the old neighborhood (Capitol Hill) and take a few pictures before heading back across the bridge to the east side. Here's the nice view over Lake Washington from Louisa Boren Park just around the corner from where we used to live
the trees and flowers are in bloom everywhere so I shot some snaps of those as well
and then I popped over to Green Lake to check if we had any mail @ the renters' place and took a shot of the lake from nearby
and then I noticed something, and my heart sank: My bag was missing from the backseat of the car! I had left the window open when I popped out to take a picture at Louisa Boren, and someone must have grabbed it! Good lord, that was fast: I only was gone for a minute, still within eyesight of the car and I didn't see anything suspicious.
Now I was seriously distressed: In that bag were my laptop (with a week or so's work only on the laptop.. down the drain), my passport and other things. I would have to replace my passport from the US Consulate in Seattle and explain to my boss what an idiot I was and get a new laptop. I had my wallet and the camera, but this was a serious loss. Things seemed very grim.
But then I remembered: I took the bag with me to the lookout and took the camera out of the bag before taking the picture. I had left it on the bench in the park... but that was 15-20 minutes earlier. Could it still be there? I had to get back there... quickly!!
I raced back over to Capitol Hill from Green Lake, hoping and hoping my bag would still be there. I parked and ran over to the bench and my heart sank again... the bag was gone. I spied a dad with his kid who had been there when I left. "Excuse me", I started, "but had you possibly seen a bag..."
I was interrupted by 3 college age kids at the other side of the lookout shouting "we have your bag!". I had seen them there with their dog when I was taking the picture. They were just leaving when I returned, they'd left a newspaper on the bench where my bag had been with a note that read:
"Michael - We were concerned and took your bag with us to ensure it wasn't stolen - Monica.
Call to retrieve (xxx) xxx-xxxx"
What a huge relief. They handed over my bag intact. I offered them a reward for being so conscientous but they turned it down, so I told them if they were ever in that situation, I hope someone helps them the way that they helped me today.
BlessYouBlessYou, you patchouli-scented, sandal-wearing, tree-hugging Seattleites. You are my brothers and sisters. And Happy Earth Day.
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