I lost my work ID last week, complete with the lanyard that goes around my neck and my library card that also hangs upon it.
Seeing that I work at the Liverpool Public Library, that presented a problem. No, I did not want anybody checking out books, DVDs or CDs under my name. Or getting into our upstairs work space … I didn’t even want to think about that when my HR director mentioned what could happen when I asked how I could get a temp pass the morning I discovered it was missing.
The night before I’d visited the library to shoot a few photos and a video before heading to my weekly bowling league. I needed my pass to get upstairs to secure the camera equipment. Because I was heading straight to the lanes, though, I left my work case at home and just grabbed the lanyard from the side pocket.
Yes, changing the routine upset my delicate balance of possession. Apparently.
The next morning, when I was ready to leave A Bitty Better in the Liverpool neighborhood of Galeville, I knew the lanyard and pass would not be in the briefcase to be grabbed to hang around my neck before heading ou the door. You know, my usual routine. I fished in my jacket pocket. Nope. My dear wife Karen looked in all the usual hiding spots in her car because I’d taken the Mazda for the excursion the night before instead of the Chevy. Not there.
After securing the temporary pass, I asked if anybody had turned mine in at the customer service desk. Strike two. I called Bowling Green and asked if it had been turned in there after I left the night before. Strike three.
Saturday morning I drove to the alley lot in North Syracuse.
Run over but still there.
There it was, on the ground, in its glory.
Apparently I had knocked it loose, from its routine and my possession a day-and-a-half ago.
My spirits were not crushed.
It had been run over.
The spring mechanism that allows the work I’d to pull away from the lanyard to more easy access to door triggers was ruined. That’s easily replaced, I thought, as I smiled and picked my passes up from the pavement.
No need to cancel either privilege.
Now I just need to stick to my routines.
Mark Bialczak 
You must thank your lucky stars, Mark! (☆▽☆)
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Yes, I look above and say thanks, Patricia. ❤
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Phew! I’m glad your story has a happy ending! I lost my work ID one morning. I discovered its loss as I walked into the building. I had just gotten gas. I walked back to my vehicle, praying to God and St. Anthony (patron saint of lost objects) every step of the way. There it was, in my vehicle! So my story had a happy ending too, but it was less suspenseful than yours.
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I’m glad St. Anthony heard your prayers, Cynthia. A lost work pass just starts the day in a downward tumble, I found. Mine was gone for two working days until I found it in the lot. 😮
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so glad you found it. i generally tend to find things just when i surrender to it. i recently lost and found mine as well )
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Ugh. I think we’ve all had similar experiences, Mark. You were very lucky that ID was still in the parking lot, and that it hadn’t snowed overnight!
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I once lost my badge and key card (on the same lanyard) in the parking lot of a grocery store. (Of course I did not know I lost it there.) I was particularly worried as our entire building is secured from all visitors as we work with sensitive data and I was not supposed to have my ID tag on the same lanyard as the key card so that if we lost the card they wouldn’t know what building it belonged to. Luckily somebody turned it in and the customer service department called me (they found my number in the phone book). WHEW! Dodged the bullet on that one. I am so glad you found your badge, albeit crushed. Stick with your routine, right Mark? 🙂
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Glad you found it. I once lost my keys to the library and I had to close that evening, very scary. One of my co workers had to come in with her key.
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What a relief. That switch up of one’s routine…happens to us all. I started wearing a lanyard with my driver’s license, and single car key, giving up on carrying extra baggage when I walk. Now, I use it all the time, but it has to stay around my neck…I’ve dropped it a few times when I put it in a coat pocket.
Glad yours worked out for the best, Mark.
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Haha! Great story!
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Thanks, Mike. I won this time.
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A sigh of relief in the bowling alley parking lot!
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and hope your bowling game went well…
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And we won two of three!
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right on…..
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ahhhhh = what a sweet ending and such relief…..
glad you found it and cheers to routines
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Yes, I need my regular path, Y. Cheers to you and yours. 🙂
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thanks Marky Mark…..
and I feel this way when I go to the gym without my bag. I keep my member card in the outside pocket – but without the bag it gets lost in a pocket.
oh and side note – sometimes when i see something on the ground – like a cheap earring or a glove – I now leave it there just in case someone comes back for it – like you did your badge.
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That is a welcome alert for all of us, Y. Somebody could well be there looking for it soon. But if there is a lost-and-found close by, that is another choice. I did call the bowling alley desk before driving out there.
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yeah – the lost and found is probably the better choice – but how cool that your badge was there. so glad you grabbed a photo to document it (cos this is what bloggers do….) because seeing it there was cool.
and side note, yesterday I was leaving a store and some guy next to had someone’s state issued i.d. card on his windshield.
he said he did not know the guy – and gave it to me and drove away. I decided to mail it to the address on the i.d. and added a note that i prayed for the kid….
hope he gets it
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Whew! Glad you found it!
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Thank you, Glaiza. I felt lost without them.
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You were very lucky, Mark 🙂
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I know, Irene. It could have turned out very differently.
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