Interesting Story

So I originally started this blog on MySpace (if you can believe that) back in 2006 when I moved to New York City. My idea was that, living in New York, my life might be at least mildly interesting and that my friends, family and possibly even perfect strangers might be interested in my stories. Then I decided to train for a couple of Marathons and raise money, so a blog to complement my training and fundraising seemed to make sense and so it went. Lately, I feel like my life has been somewhat boring, and I've been wondering if I really have anything to tell in this blog. Well, turns out that things do stay interesting in New York. I mean, the story I'm about to tell isn't life-changing, but it is fairly interesting and probably what this blog was originally designed for. So after much blabbering and lead-in, here goes :)

Last Thursday, I left work at around 6:30pm to go meet my friend Katie for dinner and drinks. While I was walking up Park Avenue, I found a wallet in on the sidewalk. After checking around to make sure that there was no one close by was realizing they had dropped a wallet. I didn't see anyone, so I picked up the wallet and realized it was definitely someone's main wallet, complete with driver's license, credit cards, etc.

In the very front of the wallet, right next to the driver's license was a card from the ASPCA that (quite morbidly) said something to the effect of "If you find my wallet and I am incapacitated, please call one of the following people" and then it listed the name and number of some folks I presumed to be her parents. So I decided that my first step would be to call them in case they could give me her cell phone and I could somehow find her nearby and return her wallet. I got voicemails at both numbers, but I didn't leave a message.

I found the wallet outside of the New York Life building, which has many employees, so I went inside thinking that perhaps they could tell me if the person worked there. If not, I had planned to just give it to the police to track the woman down. They directed me to the building's security office and I left it with Security who said that they would give it to the police to return to the woman.

As I was leaving the building, I decided to try to call one of the numbers from her wallet and leave a voicemail in hopes that they would get it and let the girl know and maybe she could get her wallet back before she got to far away. The number was still in my phone, so I called back as I walked to the subway. I assumed the call would go to voicemail again and was surprised when, after about the 3rd ring, a man answered and said, "Don't call this number again!" I guess they thought I was a prank caller or a telemarketer of some sort. I spoke up immediately and said, "Wait, sorry, my name is Carissa and I just wanted to let you know that I just found Jennifer's wallet on a sidewalk in New York City and left it with the security office at the New York Life Building on Park Avenue. I just wanted to let you know so that you could call her and let her know it's there. In all likelihood, they will send it to the Police, but just wanted to let you know." The person - a little contrite - said thank you and that he would let the wallet's owner know. And we hung up.

While I was at dinner about an hour later, I missed a call from a number in the same area code as the two numbers in the wallet. So I decided to text back after dinner just to confirm that the person didn't have any questions about the whereabouts of the wallet. I said that my name was Carissa and that I hoped she had gotten the wallet. Our conversation went like this:

Jennifer: I can't thank you enough! Absolutely karma. If you're still in the neighborhood, I owe you a drink.
Me: No worries! I work at 25th and Park but nothing owed :) Feel free to email though, we could do lunch. csmith@akamai.com
Jennifer: OK this is weird, I work at Akamai too! I'm on the 8th floor!

So basically I gave her my work e-mail and it turns out that she works at the same company as I do! We just work on different floors so we've never met. I think we'll probably get lunch next week, but talk about a small world! I find a random wallet (albeit it close to my office, but there are many offices around), and it turns out that the girl works for my company.

Alright, this is a long post so I'm going to sign off now!