Sometimes routines hurt

This morning I headed for the coffee shop and put on a navy blazer over my navy print slacks and matching T. I patted the pocket to check for tissue, and felt something hard--my credit card. My heart sunk--not because I found it, but because I should have hung it in my clothes closet yesterday, but instead put it in the downstairs coat closet. What if. . . I would have been calling all over trying to locate it if I had put it where it belonged.

I stared at it in disbelief. How did my credit card get in my Spring linen blazer that didn't come out of the closet until yesterday? (It's been a cool Spring). I almost never use a credit card, and if I need something on Sunday I usually pay cash because it's so small, like a quart of milk or bunch of bananas. I started reviewing the week-end in my mind.

I'd bought 2 CDs of Karen Burkhart at the concert Saturday night with a check. I'd bought 2 DVDs of the prayer breakfast film with a check on Sunday. So I began to think about what I'd been wearing--it was Mother's Day and I wore a nice outfit to show off the gardenia corsage from my daughter and son-in-law. After church I needed to make some photocopies of the art show list at Mill Run, so I drove home, changed clothes to a red dress and fired up the computer for a master list. Then I selected the blazer because it was getting warm and I didn't need a coat. Went back to church, used the photocopier, and then drove to the other campus (we have 3). I placed the copies on the table next to the art show and put the master in my husband's file in the church office, and went back to the parking lot.

In my mind (figuring this out), I'm sitting in the parking lot. Then I remembered. The low gasoline light had come on while I was on the bridge over the Scioto River, and I decided I'd have to find a station before driving home. I just never pump gas, so that's how the credit card got from my purse into my pocket. I had inserted it into the pump and then into my pocket, and never put it back in my purse.

And that's how I almost lost my credit card--because I might only pump gas once a year, and it was so out of my routine, I'd totally forgotten it.

But you would never misplace anything, would you?

BTW, the Upper Arlington Art League Spring Show will be in the Church at Mill Run Gallery (2nd floor) until June 10. Building is closed Friday and Saturday. At Lytham, my husband and I have a show of about 30 pieces, all done by Ohio artists in the main hall, the fireside lounge and the library lounge.