South side Walmart, missing purse and yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!

 See this purse?  I carry one just almost like it but where this one is red, mine is lime green.  Same peace signs.  Oh, and the handle is lime green.  It is about 13" high and 15" wide.  You get the picture?  Not something one would overlook easily.  Course have not dealt with me, have you?

Yesterday I took my little self up the mountain to Beulah and my favorite coffee shop.  (More about that later, but this is about something else.)  Since Saturday is Sherman's memorial service I needed to stop at Walmart and pick up a few items.  Since I was right there at the South side Walmart, I stopped and went inside.

My shopping was quickly accomplished and very soon I was on my way home.  I thought briefly about stopping at Taco Bell and getting one of those new Cantina Bowls, but did not.  Should have and saved myself many gray hairs, because I would have realized early on that my purse had decided to stay there in the cart at the Walmart store for anyone who happened by to pick it up and take it home and spend my $6.00 and order lots of stuff online with my credit card.  But I did not.

Upon arrival at home I unloaded the car and at that point realized what a stupid move I had made.  I read articles all the time about identity theft and know all the things to do to avoid it happening to me.  Now in all fairness to me, in all the articles I have read, never once has anyone of them said "Do not leave your purse in the shopping cart in the parking lot in broad daylight and drive off and go home."  Never said anything along that line at all.

So back home one hour later and the purse is not with me and I hit panic mode.  I searched frantically for the number to that store, but it was not there.  I found out later that I needed to call the North side and they would give me the number to the south side.  (Say, what!)  So I frantically called 911 since that is the only number I could think of.  A very nice young lady answered and I blurted out that I needed a phone number.  She gave me the number and also the number for the police in case I needed that.  I felt better just knowing someone else out there knew how stupid I was.

I was so relieved when the girl at Walmart told me that yes it was there and locked in the safe room.  The man who gathered the carts (the one I almost backed over) had brought it in and given it to them.  Set a new land record getting to the store.  Customer service girl held it up and I reached for it, but first I had to prove who I was.  "Just look in that black and white thing there and see my drivers license with the picture of me and my Mohawk."  She smiled and the purse and I were reunited.

Now comes the part that almost makes me cry.  I told her I wanted to reward the man who turned it in to the office.  "Oh, no.  You can't.  He just followed company policy."  Begging and wheedling did no good, but she did tell me his name.  It is Jeffery.  Could have knocked me over with a feather on that, because Sherman's brother is named Jeffery.  I kind of thought someone was looking out for me on this one.

I went and looked for him in the parking lot, but he had gone to lunch.  I may try again, but for sure I am going to write to the Southside Walmart and commend them on hiring honest people.  The chances that Jeffery at Southside Walmart will read this are probably two...Slim and None.  But I want you all to know that there are still people out there who are honest and will do the right thing.  And when you go to the Southside Walmart, put in a good word for Jeffery.  I do hope I catch him one of these days and I can thank him in person.  In the meantime, I am going to let him be an inspiration for me and I will try to do the right thing for someone else.

Thank you, Jeffery!!