Glasgow Daily Times, Glasgow, KY

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July 23, 2010

Purse snatcher brings more awareness of belongings

By JIMMY LOWE For the Daily Times

GLASGOW — I  once saw a purse snatcher do what a  purse snatcher does. While walking through a crowded street in a far away city, I heard a commotion from somewhere behind me. Then, quicker than a green light can start a lane of traffic, a lone runner zoomed around me, headed toward a lady pedestrian up ahead. Her purse hung by a strap over her right shoulder, and it dangled with the rhythm of her walking like bait before a hungry shark in the ocean. The runner extended his left hand just a bit, and his timing was perfect to grab the strap and run away with the purse.

 Several of us who witnessed this act on the public street were surprised. We didn’t seem quite as surprised, though, as did the victim. By the time she realized what had happened, the thief and her purse were a block away.

I carry a billfold, and I try to be alert for possible pickpockets when passing through a throng of strangers. Still, that’s not the same vulnerability that often exists for someone carrying a purse.

Another problem for purse carriers is the constant need to remember where the purse is.

Because I carry my billfold in my hip pocket, I always know where it is when I am seated at a restaurant. When my wife is studying the menu, she must place her purse somewhere. It won’t leave as easily with her as my billfold will leave with me.

     We better realized this difficulty last week after an outing when my billfold returned home and her purse did not. After making a call to cancel our credit card (often a necessary precaution), we made calls to places we had most recently been.

Although the purse she had lost was a small one with only a few necessary travel items, at times she’s carried a purse the size of some picnic baskets. I wondered why she found it necessary to carry so much stuff. Why couldn’t she just do as I do and pack a billfold?

It seemed unlikely that she would be reunited with that purse and its contents.

I thought about the lost items. The chewing gum, pen, aspirin, Kleenex, and photos of grandchildren could be easily replaced. Even the cash (which she knew within a couple of dollars) wouldn’t be a serious loss. Of greater concern, though, were identification cards such as her driver’s license, health cards, social security card, and the like.

A call to the Applebee’s, where we had enjoyed lunch in Crawfordsville, Ind., ceased our dilemma. Not only had they discovered the purse that she left behind, but they had it safely locked up, as well. The empathetic manager there had the purse packaged and sent to our address by Express Mail. When we received the purse, everything even down to the piece of chewing gum, was just as my wife had left it.

We were grateful to the good folks at Applebee’s for their assistance.

 I never knew what happened with the purse that was snatched from the lady on the street. I’d like to think the thief had a change of heart and sent the purse back to its owner.

 Likely, that lady is more careful as she carries her purse through crowded streets these days. Likely, my wife will be more mindful of where her purse is when she leaves a restaurant.

It’s about as likely, though, that either of those ladies will switch to using a billfold as it is that I will switch to using a purse.

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