Lost Identity

Yesterday, after almost a week in Baguio, I finally got up early from my bed to go to the market -- not by choice, but because we had a post-Christmas party and the challenge was to get our babies 100 pesos worth of ukay-ukay gifts.

So at 6:45 am, my friend Weng (whose trip to Baguio this week was the first she took) and I trooped to Maharlika to do some not-so-serious shopping. Under an hour, we got what we came for -- and then some, coz i also bought Jerry coffee beans from the Cordi as promised -- and immediately boarded the taxi going to Atenara House.

It was late in the afternoon when i realized that i apparently lost my wallet. The last time i saw it was when i bought a small bag for my baby. After that, it's a mystery how it got lost. Obvious choices were, it either fell or somebody took it.

Normally, one would feel the clamminess and the worry. They say if you do feel it, then that means its lost forever. On the other hand, if you don't, then most probably you'll find it. Well, I didn't feel any worry. Just bummed out.

Almost all my important IDs were in that wallet. My license, my IBP card, SSS, Philhealth, Philam, ATMs and credit cards. The only IDs left with me are my office ID and my Alumni Card (which I never used - may silbi ba sha?). It was a good thing that i had some cash with me, or else, well, you can only imagine.

Of course i called my banks and cancelled and blocked my cards. Good thing that nobody used it during that long lull from losing it to realizing its loss. Good thing too that i still have the paper receipt from my license. Good thing that SSS is just my neighbor. Good thing that my officemate will be taking trips to the IBP to pay for my annual fee and i can join him. Good thing the office deals with PTRs and CTCs so I don't have it. Good thing that the bank is just less than a kilometer away from the office. Good thing that the office hasn't given me the new Philam card. Good thing that phone banking and e-banking is so efficient these days that i'll have my new cards without me even feeling it got lost. Good thing that I don't have to pay for an affidavit being drawn up. Good thing that I can have the affidavit of loss be notarized for free. And most of all, good thing I didn't have money in that wallet. Spent it buying jerry's coffee.

I am considerably lucky when it comes to losing things. First time it happened in college, it was given back to me by the tindera in the kiosk at the Gym. Second time, somebody took it, they threw the contents -- IDs, pics and all -- at a pre-school along Katipunan so I still got the contents back (take note, just the contents). So now, the thrid incident in my life, everything is more or less accessible to me for a renewal.

So, to whoever took that wallet, shame on you. Sorry na lang walang pera dun. I did have $5 in that wallet as the 'token' money there, but i wouldn't cry over it. To whoever picked it up and who will be thinking of returning it to me, thank you for paying forward the kindness other people have shown you. Rest assured that I am doing the same.