Every time I become convinced the day planner is gone forever, it returns. I will never doubt again. Next time Mr. Day Planner vanishes, I’ll be like a parent with a missing child: “It will come back…”

And now for a story.

In December of 2000, or so, I visited my sister with Dad in New York City. It was my first time in this massive massive city, and I was rather intimidated, and quite determined to keep my head on and not lose anything.

I left the backpack containing my CDs, toiletries, and day planner on the subway from LaGuardia to Manhattan. Just left it. It was gone. Gone gone gone. I had thought previously that my day planner was invincible, but when I realized I’d left my backpack on the subway, I thought I had met my match: the MTA.

Oh, me of little faith…within TWO HOURS a homeless man of some sort had called my sister’s dorm room in Chinatown saying he had my bag. The next morning my dad met this guy in the Bronx and and retrieved the bag for the ransom of $20. The day planner was secure.

Now that I’ve repeated this story, I realize what a putz I was for thinking it was lost at the BANK. Never again will I doubt my trusty day planner.

The caveat to the story is this: indeed my day planner DID fall in battle, to my brand new dog Lola, after I’d had her less than a month. My opinion is that she was systematically destroying everything in the house that might have competed for my love: in the very same week, she chewed on my beloved (and trademark) black hat. Fortunately, I had a spare day planner from one of my earlier lost-planner scares, so it took up the yoke. However, this one is irreplaceable; it must not get lost. And it won’t.