I was on my way out the door to go walking in the mall this morning, butI couldn’t find my purse. Typical. I’m in a panic over my pocketbook at least three times a week. No matter how hard I try to keep it one memorable place, that just never seems to happen.
Because I am a creative individual I seem to invent a new place to set it down every time I walk into the house: kitchen counter, dining room table, chair, desk, even the cutting table. I’ve found my purse on top of my sewing machine, on the back of the bathroom door, on the peg behind my coat, and back in the car. It’s always somewhere. Except the time in 7th grade when I left it in Home Room on the back of my chair.
This morning it wasn’t anywhere. I looked all over the house. No purse. Oh-oh…
I remember hanging my purse on the back of the chair at one of the “tall” tables at Subway yesterday at lunch. That’s not good.
I must have walked out without it. It’s gone now. How could I have been so stupid?! Kiss the cash good-bye and start canceling the credit cards.
I’ll admit it. I thought the worst.
Still, I kept looking. As soon as Subway opened I called to see if my purse was turned in. No it wasn’t. “Wait,” she said, “is it a tan and black Eagle Creek wallet on a string?” YES!!
Brittanie didn’t know if a customer turned it in or it was found by another worker, but she passed it over the counter to me and it was still as lumpy and weighted-down as it was yesterday!
I’m sure my little purse passed through many hands before it got back to me this morning. Each person who touched it made a decision. It would have been so easy to take advantage of the situation. I expected that. And yet, no one did. How happy I am that I was wrong!
The cash, the credit cards, and my overpriced lipstick were still there. So was my driver’s license with my deer-in-the-headlights picture, my proof of insurance, registration to the car, and the gift card to Starbucks (minus the price for a hot chocolate at the airport). The crumpled receipts, mini quilt templates, nail file, dental floss, 12 loyalty cards, and the seven TicTacs (paradise mint flavor) rattling around in the cute little plastic container were all just where I’d left them.
These aren’t the best of times here in Flint. Life isn’t easy; many people are doing without. And nobody’s getting rich working at Subway. But, in the face of temptation, I saw honesty and integrity in a Subway shop in Flint, Michigan. I am so grateful.
To the stranger who found my purse and turned it in, to the employees at Subway who kept it safe, and to anyone who has done the same: Thank you! I appreciate it very, very much!
And, for the forseeable future I’m going to wear my purse around my neck. 24/7.
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Through The Eyes Of A Quilter 
I believe people are, by nature, mostly good at heart. I have faith in them, and I’m sticking to it.
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And they say there are no good people left in the world!!! I have always thought there were…now you’ve helped prove it!
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I agree! I have used a small purse like that for about 4 years now. I tend to think it is on my shoulder when it has decided to go elsewhere. And the only thing I have ever lost is an extra pair of glasses that fell out of my pocket!
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Flint must be a good place to live!!! My daughter left her Day Runner on a company shuttle bus and ended up with three years worth of identity theft to recover from.
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Agreed that people are mostly good at heart. So glad you got your purse back intact.
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This great heartwarming story had better be sent to Subway. What a terrific employee/customer story. Sounds like a Hallmark commercial. Had 5 quilters at my house yesterday and 3 of us were eating Subway (all purchased individually). I KNEW there was a reason why we love them!
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I truly wish the news media would take a clue from you and post more of the “good” stories about life and people. I love reading/seeing/hearing positive and uplifting stories about the human spirit. Thanks Ami for being you. You lift me up !!!
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Doesn’t that just renew your faith in humankind?
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My favorite part about all of this is that I now have an excuse for all the times I lose my purse and keys. It’s because I’m so creative! :-) Thanks!
And I agree with Caron. (and Anne Frank! grin)
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I lost my purse one time by the side of a country road (twig in windshield wiper, got out to remove it, kicked purse out). We were traveling from somewhere in Texas to Missouri to visit my folks. When we pulled up, my Dad said some lady had called to say she’d found the purse (I didn’t even realize it was gone). Offered her a reward, but all she wanted was the price of the phone call – and you could tell she was very poor and money was in short supply. Yes, 99% of people are honest and hardworking. Unfortunately, the other 1% are the ones who get all the publicity.
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God Bless all of those great people!!
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Isn’t it nice to know that in this wacked out world we are living in, there are still decent, honest folks around? Hooray for good news!
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I agree with Caron. The bulk of the news tells us how badly people act, but if that was the majority of people we would be in a chaotic state. Fortunately, most folks would do what that stranger did. You give out good vibes, Ami, and what goes around comes around!
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We are two of a kind… Along with my purse, I also find new spots for my car keys on a daily basis… So glad you found it and that it was intact! A true blessing for a lady who deserves one! You do too many good things with your time to have to stand in the DMV line an extra time! Have another really great day!
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My daughter lost hers in a grocery store – their procedure was to go through the lost purse and cancel all the credit cards after 24 hours. I am not quite sure why – if they physically had the purse in their hands, why cancel the cards? Anyway, she got it back and all is well now.
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After the 3rd or 4th time I laid my purse down in a store and “almost” lost it but for honest people or rushing back quickly from the car to find it, I decided I had to do something about my senior moments. I wear jeans 99% of the time since I am retired and this gives me “pockets”. First, my son nailed a key hold just inside the garage door -1.My keys immediately go there 2. My little wallet with only the necessary cards & a little money comes out of my pocket and goes in the kitchen drawer right by the garage door. that immediately became a habit and I have not lost either my wallet or my keys in the past 3 years. Hurrah for me even with my senior moments!
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Ami – so glad your story had a happy ending!
Same thing happened to me at the mall food court in South Florida.
The cleaning person saved it for me and nothing was touched!
I gave him $20 and he tried to refuse but I wouldn’t hear of it.
My whole life was in that purse but I only had $20 cash :-)
Most people (including teenagers :-) are good and kind.
There are just a few people that when they do bad things
get all the attention.
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Thank you for the uplifting story
Barbara Garner
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So nice to hear a happy ending !
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Several years ago I left my purse at Whataburger in Houston…did not realize it untill we were home (2 hours away) called there and it was still sitting in the window beside our table where I had set it. The employee put it in the back and we immediately drove back to Houston to retrieve it. My husband did not even fuss at me. I told him “from now on when I’m griping you out about something just say PURSE”!!! But he never has……
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Such a nice story Ami and thank you for sharing it!
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I don’t live in Flint, but I shop there all the time and I’ve never had any problems. Actually twice in the last 4 days, and since I live about 1 hour away, I think that says something. I really think it’s getting a bad rap mainly due to the fact that the only “press” it seems to get is of the bad/depressing/scary/heart wrenching variety. I also believe people are inherently good. BTW if you haven’t eaten Telly’s on Miller Road, you should try it. Good regular everyday food and great waitstaff. Not affiliated, just a satisfied customer.
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Your post really made my day!
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Funny isn’t it, how quickly we get worked up over “things”. I was pleased to hear that you found you purse and everything was as you’d left it. Now it’s YOUR turn to “pass it on”. What a gift that is, to do some small thing to make some one else happy or give them a chance to “have faith” again in humanity. Really no small thing at all. Follow the “Golden Rule” and you won’t go wrong. Blessings!
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I have. :)
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What a great story! It should be on the local tv news in Flint.
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So glad you got it back and I loved the discription of the coontents. Yes, I believe most people are honest.
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So glad you got it back and I loved the discription of the contents. Yes, I believe most people are honest.
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Yep there still are good people. I left my purse in a shopping cart at Kroger. Got all the way home, 30 minute drive , unloaded my groceries and realized I didn’t have my purse. Someone turned it in and the lady at Kroger was trying to call someone out of my phone list that could let me know. I now have my daughter as my ICE contact in my phone because the people she was trying to call live out of state or in one case in Hawaii. lol
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Thanks for the wonderfully positive story!
It’s so easy to get caught up in thoughts and miss “small details”. I usually travel light – just stick my “Wonder Wallet” in the pocket of my jeans. So far I haven’t left them any anywhere. :)
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Send that story to Subway ~ they need to know!
Thank goodness for good folks in these difficult times.
You’re lucky!
Is that purse around your neck today! hee hee
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I never leave my purse anywhere because I don’t have one, but my wife does. I am trying to train my Service Dog to let us know when she leaves her purse behind but no luck yet. I am hopeful though because my dog is so smart. She can read but can’t talk yet. To see Missy read, search “Bud Gottesman” on youtube.com and click on the thumbnail “Missy reads”.
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Thank God for the good people in this world.
Ami, I cannot keep a shoulder strap from slipping off my shoulder, so for several years now I have been carrying a smaller purse with a long strap that I slip over my head and one arm so that the purse is in front of my body. Now I can shop hands-free and not worry about setting it down or leaving it unattended. It may not be fashionable, but at 72 I really don’t care!
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Great story and does renew faith in the basic goodness of most people. I semi-solved my “leaving my purse somewhere while we are out” problem – I have a purse that can be a shoulder bag or a fanny pack. Except for going over to friends or families, when out I use it as a fanny pack. My keys always go in to my purse and, when at home my purse is put in one of two places: either in our breakfast area on the chair seat beside where I sit, or beside the chair in the FR where I do my TV watching, hand sewing or quilting. This method has worked for me for years. Good thing because as my Dad used to tell me “I would loose my head if it wasn’t attached.” He was right and while I have gotten a little better, things haven’t changed much in that area over the past gazillion years.
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time to wear a belly bag!!!
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Fortunately, I’ve had more experiences similar to yours than otherwise. Both here in Rochester Hills and Flint and beyond, I’ve had the good fortune be surrounded by kind angels who ‘do the right thing’.
Meanwhile… how DO you fit all those items you just described into that tiny purse?
Hugs,
Jean
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I think you should forward your story on to the letters to the editor for the local Flint newspaper – hopefully, they have one still. Stories of people doing the right thing encourage others to do the same. With the plethora of bad news here, Michigan can use all the feel good stories that can be found.
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Several years ago, I did the same thing–left my purse with all of my cash and my identity in it—on the back of my chair in an OUTBACK restaurant in Kansas City KS. Several hours later on that busy Saturday night, I realized where it must be, went back across the city to the restaurant and a series of honest people had held it for me. I believe in the goodness of most people too.
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So glad you have your purse and all contents back. There are good honest people in the world!!!!
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I was fortunate to be able to attend the sewing expo in Puyallup, WA this year. While there I purchased a beaded bracelet at Linda MacPhee’s booth and promptly lost it. The MacPhee’s were kind enough to replace it at no charge but I still hoped I’d find the original one I bought. By the end of the day, I received a call from the Information Booth at the show. Some kind person had turned it in. I picked it up and returned the replacement bracelet to Linda MacPhee. It is truly heartwarming to know that people have not lost their moral compass despite the difficulties we are all facing these days.
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Maybe you should let that marvelous dog of yours carry it for you. Just tie it around his neck. Then he could go with you *everywhere*.
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What a wonderful story! I needed something to put a smile on my face this afternoon too! Amazing how much you can fit in one of those string wallets, isn’t it?
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Ami, I think in hard times especially in Michigan, Flint in particular, people are more honest-They consider, the fact that the person that lost their pocketbook or wallet might be unemployed and how they would feel if it happened to them…bad time brings out the best in people. I lived in Flint many years ago and it was the best time of my life, one of the best places I have ever lived and if it were possible I would be back there in a heartbeat.
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To always find mine, I keep in same place every day, no matter what!It lives on the dining room chair.Someday I hope to have a hook, but for now, at least I don’t hunt for it.May try that, good luck, my mom, never knows where hers is, and thats another story!Have a good week-end, GS in WV
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this was a great testimony to basic goodness in people. I sympathize with your problem keeping track of your purse.
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The bad things that happen around us get so much attention, especially in the media, that we are surprised that there are good people in the world. Thanks for sharing the positive.
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what an excellent story, im glad you found good people in flint…there are good people everywhere
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What I’d like to know is how do you fit all those items into a wallet attached to a string?
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I lied about the 14 loyalty cards. I only have 12.
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Hi Ami! I weigh in on the “more good people than bad side”. I too have been a chronic purse loser. I have always gotten it back intact after figuring out where I could have left. I had a medium amount of cash in it most of the time. I had my purse “snatched” one time and he only got $4 in cash but I had to go through the changing every thing and the sudden jumpiness and mistrust of “violation” The good has vastly out weighed the bad. I now carry a small flat wallet in my jeans pocket with just the essentials and a small amount of cash…
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I’ve left my purse in so many places, my husband now looks around for me before we walk out of any place we visit. The worst was leaving it in the restroom stall at the toll plaza then driving away. Leaving it at the movies was almost as bad. It has always been intact when I got it back. I subscribe to the most-people-are-good philosophy. It isn’t hard to put yourself in the shoes of the frantic purse-loser. When we have a chance, we try to repay the favors of so many people by doing the same for other who share my disability.
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No person in their right mind would keep the purse of someone who has Tic Tac’s – one for every day of the week! Why, that would be crass!
Seriously, that was so lucky for you to have remembered where you may have left it then to find it again. Like the reunion of long lost friends. I’ve done it myself a couple of times and it sucks the breath out of you. I now carry a large purse – so large it would be impossible to visually lose it somewhere!!! Men are lucky to have pockets to carry what little they need and women to carry the rest.
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Wow! There are still good people in the world. I have a special place for my purse and keys and whatever else I do not want to lose. I put my purse over my shoulder when I go anywhere, if I take it off you know what happens. I have had nightmares and don’t take it off anymore unless I am home and put it in it’s special place. Thanks for giving LOL and special stories that touch the heart.
God Bless
K. M.
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Yesterday my handbag was stolen from my cart in a supermarket parking lot. I took my eyes off it for one second and it was gone. And this parking lot is located in a good area with nice homes and businesses. Certainly there are some good people in this world but then there are the ones that are like the person who took my purse. I feel violated; like someone now KNOWS everything about me.
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I’m so sorry this happened to you.
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I wonder if the hard times are why you got it back. How many of the people who handled it could feel the pain of losing it. I’ve noticed at shows that the people who put things in their bags by accident are generally better off. Those with nothing come back to say they were undercharged. People seem to be more honest when they are feeling the pinch, despite that being the time the money would most help them. It’s great to hear that you got the purse back,
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Several years ago, while at the Paducah quilt show, I ran out to the car to put stuff in the trunk. On my way back in, I tripped and feel, messing up one knee and the other ankle and dropping my purse.
Later that night, when we got back to our hotel, I realized that evidently my wallet had flown out of my purse when I feel. We were heading home to No. Illinois the next day,so no going back but I did call to check…no wallet had been turned in. So, headed home, bummed thinking of having to do the new drivers license, etc (my one credit card was in my pocket!)…two days later, I got a cod package, containing my wallet with everything still inside. No name or anything to send a note saying thanks.
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