A few weeks ago I received a PWE in the mail. I had come home from work. Picked up the mail on the way into the house. Shuffled through it. Bill. Bill. Ad. PWE.
That caught my attention. I opened it and these came out.
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| 1969 Topps Mini Album Inserts Cleveland Browns (Bill Wade) (card # 4) |
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| 1990-91 Skybox Del Harris (card # 315) |
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| 1981 Detroit News Tigers Centennial Earl Wilson (card #51) |
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| 1989 O-Pee-Chee Orel Hershiser (card # 380) |
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| 1996 Topps Stadium Club - Virtual Reality Members Only Orel Hershiser (card # 26) |
They were all on my Elusive Eight want list. After dinner I rushed out to some meeting or rehearsal, thinking that I'd scan and put them away later that evening.
I don't remember what happened. I guess I forgot about them, or decided to do it later. The cards were placed back in the envelope and set aside.
When I went looking for them later, they were not to be found. I looked in drawers, near the computer, on my bedside table, with the other cards. Nowhere. A sickening feeling started to form in my stomach. I renewed my search with vigor. That stack of papers. With my other cards. With my other cards on the bookshelf. With my other cards in a box. Nothing.
I let it go for a few days. Ah. That special place where I put the important papers. That's where I left them. No. Inside the cover of that book I want to read next. Back to the stacks of paper. Near the other bills.
My wife had noticed that I was actually doing some cleaning while looking for the cards. That made her happy that I was decluttering, but made me sad that I still hadn't found the.
Time to retrace my steps. I finally found the envelope. It had fallen off the stack of a clump of papers, down near my dresser. They had been found. There was much rejoicing.
So, kids. This is a true, but cautionary tale. Get a system in place to process your cards. Know where they are. I don't care if you scan them, blog about them, file them a month or even a year later. But know where they are.
So, a big thank you to whatever kind and benevolent reader took the time to go through my wantlists, procure and send me these cards. I'll be a better steward next time.
