March 27, 2011 Oops...

Have you ever forgotten something and you're in a hurry?  Well, I have to admit, I did it this weekend.  I was on my way to see my parents when my husband and I stopped to have a bite to eat at Arby's in a town about 3 hours from our destination and left to travel on the road.

We had been driving for about an hour and a half or so when we decided to stop and stretch so we stopped at a McDonalds just to get out there.  I had thought about walking in to get a cup of coffee so I wanted my purse for some money and couldn't find my purse.  We hunted and hunted and then it hit me, "I left it on the back of a chair in the Arby's in the town where we stopped to eat."  What were we to do?  The first thing my husband thought of was to go back to an Arby's we passed on our way to Micky D's and see if they would have the phone number so we could call and see if they found my purse.  So we promptly turned around and drove there.

I walked in and of course they asked, "Can I help you?" replied a very nice young man.

I quickly said, "I hope so, I have left my purse at another Arby's in Columbia City and wondered if you have their phone number.  Could you look it up?"

He smiled and said, "Sure." So he left the counter and returned with the corporation notebook and said if the restaurant is in their same sale district, they would have the number, but if not, it might not be there.  Once he looked, it was not there.  This time he left again and returned with his cell phone to search for the restaurant and could not find any restaurants in Columbia City.  I knew that that the Arby's we had eaten at had been there for many years.  It only sowed locations for Angola and Fort Wayne, IN.

Finally he asked us if the Arby's was in Ohio and we said no it was in Indiana.  We had assumed he was searching in Indiana, but because we were in Ohio, he was searching in Ohio!  This time he found it and gave us the phone number and we called them right then and there on our Trac phone! 

When the Arby's restaurant answered I asked if they were the ones in Columbia City, IN right next to SR 30 and they said they were.  Then I told them that I had left my purse on the back of their chair.  The young lady piped up, "Oh yes, we found your purse!"  I was so relieved!  I told her that we were about 2 hours away but were planning on coming back to get it.  What were their hours?  They were open until midnight and the drive-up was open until 1 am.  "Ok, I'll see you!

So...we turned around and headed back toward our home when we were within an hour of our destination.  It was a tough decision. All the way back I kept thinking should I go on home because I would be 45 min. or so from my home and go the next morning or go on to see my parents that night even though it would be very, very late when I arrived there. (I'm about 3 1/2-4 hours from their home)

When we finally arrived at the Arby's, it turned out to be 1 1/2 hrs. instead of 2 hrs., we were not as long as we thought it might be.  BUT we had to wait for the safe to open!  They offered us drinks while we waited - is this a lesson in patience?  The people were very kind and friendly and we were very appreciative. They had been taught that when you find a purse not to open it and to put it in the safe.  If no one comes after a day or so, then open it and find out who it belongs to.

After the safe was opened, we thanksed them and left.  Once again on the road toward my parents.  We decided to get out and stretch for a break at our favorite McDonalds and maybe get some coffee.  Guess what? We discovered it was closed as this was in the late evening.  We turned back to the Arby's we had been to earlier and they were closed- all were completely lit up! So we went on.  We arrive at our destination at 1 p.m. Safe and sound.  Very little traffic at that time of night!  :)  Lesson learned?  Don't leave your purse in a restaurant so far away!  Enjoy your week! Happy Slicing! :)