Monday, August 18, 2008

"Oh No, I Forgot My Wallet!"

How often have you had to say that?

This weekend, I went to the beach with a friend from outside the city who has a car. I usually like to go to Coney Island on summer weekends, but the car provided an opportunity to try something different, the beach at Jacob Riis Park. It is possible to get there by public transportation, but it's nowhere near as convenient as Coney Island. We left from my apartment after packing up bags with all sorts of things: water, sunblock, reading materials, crossword puzzles, a notebook, a pen, my French homework, Chapstick, towels, a blanket, hats, swim goggles, change of clothes, beach chair, sunglasses... but it wasn't until we hit the parking lot at the beach and I saw the $5.00 price sign that I realized I'd forgotten my wallet.

A car makes it really easy to forget your wallet-- normally, I'd be pulling it out to get on the subway only a few blocks from home. In the car, the first opportunity to use any money would have been a toll on a bridge quite close to the beach, but even then it wasn't necessary, since my friend has an EZ-Pass. Fortunately she also had her wallet, so we were able to park and get some snacks, but otherwise I guess we would have had to go all the way back to my place, or else find somewhere to park for free and just go hungry.

So often, people will tell stories about someone who is always being cheap and claiming to have forgotten their wallet so they won't have to pay. I guess that kind of thing is always on my mind, so on the few occasions when I've done this, I've always been mortified. My friend was teasing me about how I was just trying to make her pay for everything, so of course I was promising to buy her dinner and all sorts of things to make up for it!

As for our afternoon at the beach, it was lovely-- it's a big, open beach, much quieter than Coney Island. It's as if they built the facilities for much bigger crowds but they never come, so some of the buildings are kept shuttered. The water was the perfect temperature, but the only problem seemed to be that all the jellyfish must have just spawned or something! What I at first thought was a sort of foam or algae on the surface turned out to be thousands of tiny baby jellyfish-- ugh, not fun to swim through. Next time I go back, I hope they won't be there... and I hope I remember to bring my wallet!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

The problem, Madame X, is that you are too chic! I, being not chic at all, have one purse at a time, in which I keep everything, and I never leave home without it (where have I heard that before?).

I have just realized that my chic level -- abbreviated CL -- is probably in negative figures.

Madame X said...

Sandyvoice, if you saw the bag I brought to the beach, you'd probably rethink calling me chic! Even my everyday bag is not very chic!
:)

Anonymous said...

Regarding all the jellyfish you saw, New York Times had an interesting article about that recently:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/science/earth/03jellyfish.html?scp=3&sq=jellyfish&st=cse

Anonymous said...

Well, I guess it's at least a good thing for our budgets that we're not spending thousands of dollars on Coach bags! No, we're spending the money on books, instead. (Although I have to admit the possibility that I have chosen the path of my daily walk unwisely, considering my addiction to print ... )

S said...

I got a friend who is justt a "habitual wallet forget-er". It was cool in the beginning, but after too many occurances it just gets ridiculous. I am the type of person that even within my own home, I wonder where my wallet is when I go from one room to the next. Never leave home without it and it sometimes drives me up the wall to find it!! It is crazy how the sign tipped you off to realize you forgot your wallet, its always some sort of sign or subliminal message that sets off that thought... WHERE DID IT GO? Great post Madame X

1001 Petals said...

The only time I ever forgot my wallet was the worst possible circumstance to do so. I accidentally left it in my boyfriend's car after being dropped off at the airport. I couldn't even call him as we didn't have cell phones and it would be a few hours before he'd arrive home (state side.)

Fortunately I had my ticket and passport, just not my actual wallet with cards and money. It was an all inclusive vacation though, so I chose to go ahead. I just couldn't leave the resort or buy anything at the airports. .or buy any souvenirs, etc :(

It was pretty sucky.

Anonymous said...

Based on one experience (had my purse but wallet was on desk at home), I now have a $20 bill buried in my glove compartment plus an old AAA card. It's saved me a couple of times so the $20 bill gets replaced immediately.