Highs and lows
Finally got in contact with the secretary/PA of the guy who found my wallet, who told me that he had taken it to the police station on the Prinzengracht. She expressly pointed out that there was still €100 in it when he had done so.
Got to the said police station, only to be told that my wallet was now at the “Gevonden Voorwerpen” (found objects) office miles away on the other side of town. I should have known it would not be plain sailing (all a good opportunity to practice my Dutch, though).
Eventually found the aforementioned office, and joy of joys, they had my wallet. Not so joyful was the absence of the €100 from it. I was ready to curse the Amsterdam police as every kind of corrupt motherfucker on the planet, until the guy explained that money found in wallets is kept separately, and a note is made of its amount; very efficient, very sensible, very Dutch. So wallet back, money back. One-nil to Meighan, I think, and an apology due to da Amsterdam plod.
Sent the guy who found it an email full of breathless thank-yous. I said that I didn’t know if he believed in Karma, but if he did his had just about trebled (and he was welcome to a beer/coffee at a time of his choosing). Top bloke, nuff said. People are not all swine, after all.
There had been a power cut in our whole block (nae, whole neighbourhood) in the morning, so I stopped by De Balie on Leidseplein for a wee shot of their free WiFi, expecting as I was a reply from the Sandberg today.
Didn’t get in. No surprise whatsoever, but it still cuts like knives when you read it. I don’t handle failure very well (but then success neither), and so it was just as well that the wallet incident had occurred to lift my spirits. It’s been the story here so far down to a T, massive ups and massive downs. A little averageness wouldn’t go amiss.
