A Stranger and a Cell Phone

This picture has nothing to do with my cell phone, except that I took it with my cell phone.
The most ridiculous thing happened last night. I took a cab to a friend's birthday party (pajama party theme!) and in my fumblings to find an appropriate tip for the driver, somehow left my cell phone in the cab.

I didn't realize this until I was trying to buzz in and realized I didn't know what floor my friend lived on. I tried 5 times but they kept buzzing me in without speaking to me so they couldn't hear me shouting "What FLOOR are you on?"

I put my bag down on the dirty floor and rummaged around for my cell phone so I could call her and tell her I didn't know where to go. That's when I realized my phone was sitting cozily in the back of the cab speeding through town.

So there I was in the lobby of her building with no phone and no way to get into her apartment, mentally calculating the cost of a new cell phone and various accompanying service charges from the evil corpora- er, cell phone company.

Just as I rang up a 6th time my friend came down the hall in fuzzy slippers, pink pajama pants and a tiara, "Hey Ali, I've been trying to buzz you in forever!" Ya, I know. I told her about my phone and she gave me a big hug. As soon as we were inside, she lent me her phone so I could call my cell. I tried several times but there was no answer. Just as I was calling Alex to get him to cancel my phone, a call came through from a woman who found my phone!

Turns out she lives in my building (!!! what are the chances of that?!) and left it with the concierge for me. I still can't believe the coincidence. I got my phone back within 3 hours of losing it with no harm done. Someone else might've taken advantage and called a few overseas relatives.

Thank God for people like her and Thank God for coincidences like that.