That only happens to other people ...

You've heard about it.

People will say, 'I did the silliest thing. I was putting something into the back seat, set my mobile phone and keys on top of the car, hopped in, drove off and forgot all about them.' And of course you go, 'Oh goodness, that's awful!' and inside your head, you think, 'That's the dumbest thing - I'd never do that.'

I had firewood delivered this week. Whilst stacking it in the garage, I put my red sweatshirt, my cheque book wallet, my phone, and my car keys on top of the other car parked in the garage.

Driver of the other car backed out and drove off down the road en route to Warkworth. About half an hour later, I comprehended the magnitude of my misfortune.

I walked up and down our street. No sign of the items. I realised then that the cheque book wallet also had a couple of credit cards in there. Could things get any worse.

I could say to you now, 'Tune in next week to find out what happened to Jane's phone, car keys, cheque book and red sweatshirt!!' - shall I?

No, I shan't keep you in suspense. Two wonderful neighbours found everything, a scattered trail of very interesting items down our street. The mobile and keys made it all the way to the hill, clinging for dear life to the roof of the car until gravity and inertia tumbled them into a leafy gutter. 

So. The moral of this story is do not ever, for any reason, put things on top of your car and also do not think badly of those that do and confess it to you.

Also - the unexpected is what makes for a good story. I could think of all kinds of plots that could come from that single absent-minded action ... mystery, thriller, suspense, romance, international spy pot boiler ... 

As it happened though, I am happy for my story to end with a heart felt thank you to my neighbours for their honesty and kindness. Indeed the 'kindness of strangers' is  something I have been quietly thankful for this week.

The phone and the keys did however enjoy their exciting trip.  

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