Lost Property

I jumped off the train and patted my right pocket. I was expecting to feel my Sony mp3 player next to my phone but it wasn't there. My heart sunk. It had taken me just two weeks to loose my latest gadget.

The train pulled off and all I could do was try to peer through the window at where I'd been sitting. A man seemed to turn around and see me - had he noticed what I'd left behind? I searching my bag pointlessly until I gave in to the truth: it was gone.

At that point a friend called me. After speaking for five minutes I made my way down to the ticket office. The member of staff on duty started making numerous phone calls once I'd explained my plight. It turned out that he was actually calling each and every station along the line and needless to say I was surprised by such an efficient and helpful service.

Shockingly, he paused while on the phone and leant forward, 'What does it look like?' It's been handed in? I couldn't believe it. No, hold on, contain your relief until you actually get it back! I described my mp3 player in an eloquent sentence, 'Small, thin, black, Sony.' To which he replied, 'It's been handed in at Chiswick Park Station.' Maximum relief! (Too much Crysis?)

When I eventually arrived at Chiswick Park the guy behind the window at the ticket office started playing games with me. Even after I'd explained what the mp3 player looked like he smiled and asked, 'Name some of the music on it.' I started blabbering on about Japanese music but eventually he said, 'It begins with 'e'?' 'Oh... Evanescence.' Ah, the greatest gym music on the planet, perhaps bar Rocky.

I'm eternally grateful to the kind soul who handed my mp3 player in. You could have kept it for yourself or even sold it, but you've made me believe there are still kind people in this world. Thank you!

Comments

[SaffronSaris]

This is unbelievable. Somebody picked up your Sony mp3 player in London and actually returned it. I never had much faith in retrieving lost items in big cities, but your encounter is making me think otherwise.

Ever since I read that Mark's got his results, I've been dropping by almost everyday here to see if you've received yours. The suspense is mounting....

[Mark]

Impressive, and very lucky! I thought such things had stopped happening in London (well, England I suppose) a long time ago. As you say it does restore a little bit of confidence that there are some nice people out there.

However I still wouldn't leave anything out on my table in Starbucks while I pop to the loo like I do in Japan though ;-)

[Darren]

Mark, SaffronSaris,
I'm sure if the train had been going into London then I wouldn't have been so fortunate. I was relatively near to the end of the line and (stereotyping) it was probably an affluent Chiswick type who handed it in.

In saying that though, a number of colleagues have similar stories of their belongings having been handed in. Maybe the world isn't quite so bad after all, it's just those few who mug people and so on that make you feel like everyone around you is rotten to the core!

SaffronSaris,
Yeah, I'm getting frustrated waiting for the results, too. Last year they were delivered on the 28th February in London. I hope we don't have to wait until then but I suppose that's only another couple of weeks.

I'll write a post as soon as I get my results.

[Darren]

Mark,
I forgot to add that even when I'm in Japan I can't leave stuff lying around while I pop to the loo. I often carry my bag in front of me like when in London. It's hard to shake habits.

[Mark]

I've just remembered that the other day I 'reserved' my table in Starbucks while I waited for my coffee by leaving my wallet on the table. And I've only been here 8 months! I ought to be careful really, otherwise I'll have the reverse problem when I visit the UK again...

And talking of Starbucks, I really don't like giving my money to them - in London I support the smaller shops and chains and rarely drink in Starbucks - but there aren't too many coffee shops selling expresso-based drinks. Japanese seem to tend to favour filtered/blend coffee. Have you guys noticed that?

But this digression is probably for another time when you have a coffee-related post Darren.