Forgetfulness......

Forgetfulness….The other day I was lucky to have a visit from my most favorite uncle from Seattle. He is originally from Indiana, but ten years ago moved to Seattle to run a hospital for abused children. Anyway, he came to visit and stayed one night then went over to visit my father, his brother, for the weekend. On his return, we had lunch together. Driving to the restaurant, we took his car, a rental. Out of pure habit, I brought my house and car keys with me and then left them on the floor of the car when we went into the restaurant, happily chatting with him all the way. After lunch, we returned to the house, talked some more then he left to visit another uncle and go to the airport. Needless to say, I didn’t remember until two hours later that I had left them on the floor of his car. I discovered that I had forgotten them when I wanted to go to the grocery store. Panic ensued! I yelled at my oldest son to watch the house and to babysit his younger brother. I jumped into my car thinking, I can catch him! I was convinced that I could really catch him! Of course, in a city of over one million people, I thought, foolishy, maybe I will see him on the way to the airport. I would wave him over to the edge of the road, laugh while I told him that I had left my keys in his car and then drive home on my merry way. Of course, I was not thinking that he was coming from the absolute opposite direction from which I was driving. Frantically, I called him on his cell phone, leaving a dozen messages-paging him multiple times.
Upon arriving at the airport, I followed the signs to rental car places thinking I can check each place-hey, there’s not that many! But in a panic, one is not organized nor thinking very straight. Have you ever driven into one of those places? They have these razor sharp teeth at the entrance with multiple messages-DON’T BACK UP-SEVERE DAMAGE TO TIRES! This only heighten my panic. Now I had to make sure that I drove correctly while in the damn rental car lot! I ran into all of those offices-panting and telling them-hey my uncle rented a car, but I don’t know where he rented it and yes, it has my keys! Of course, none of the rental car agencies had a reservation for my uncle. One agency even asked me for his rental contract number. Duh! I didn’t even know where he had rented the stupid car! My gas levels were dangerously low. I started calling rental car agencies only to call two of them twice-“Look lady, I already told you we don’t have anyone by that name!” I was starting to really sweat! Suddenly, a bright light came on in my head-page him at the airport. You would be surprised how incredibly easy it is to do that! So I paged him, talked to him. He told me where to go and even gave me their telephone number, saint uncle that he is! I pushed through the airport traffic which by 5:30 pm was a nightmare. The sweetest saint of a girl had my keys, put them gently into my sweaty hands and I almost prostrated at her feet! Needless to say, I now have my keys in a chain around my neck, a pack of post-it notes in my back pocket, and a trusty pen. I have resorted to what my mother always said to me in parking garages, crowded places and at home-Write it down so you don’t forget!