Dear Blog, I have a story to tell you.

I took the shuttle to the subway around 12:30pm. I rode the subway with Jill down to 23rd Street. We ate a nice, long lunch at Shake Shack. I ran around & took a bunch of photos. We walked back to 23rd street, crossing Park Avenue to get on the uptown train. I stopped at Grand Central to make a return at a store there. I wandered through Papyrus before getting back on the subway, because I love cards. I got on the uptown 6 train. The subway was crowded. I got off at 86th Street & ran into a Duane Reade to pick up a prescription. It wasn't ready, so I wandered through the store for 15 minutes. I paid. I walked up 1st avenue. I stopped by our favorite little Turkish market, because they have the best prices on fruit. I bought 2 mangos ($1 a piece!), 2 flats of raspberries, a package of strawberries & a cantaloupe - & maybe some fruit popsicles, because they're the perfect snack late at night when you want something but shouldn't be eating raw cookie dough or chocolate cake. I wandered around the corner, into our building. I checked the mail. I got in the elevator, went up & walked into our apartment. I reached for my neck, to touch with the charms that are always there (I wear them every single day), that I always seem to be playing with. 

Gone. 

I searched. Not on the hook in my bedroom. I know I put them on this morning. I put them on EVERY. SINGLE. MORNING. I always do. I checked inside of my bra, just in case. In my shirt. In my purse. In all the pockets. Shook out my jacket. Checked the hallway. The elevators. The bathroom counter. The kitchen.

Gone. 

Caught Jill on gChat. 

Me: Was I wearing them? Did you see them at Shake Shack?

Jill: Nope. 

Gulp. 

My necklace was somewhere between 86th Street & Madison Square Park. Or maybe it was being sold for scrap somewhere by now. 

It's not even the material value. It's just that it's a special necklace. I'm not a huge jewelry person, but I'm always wearing my necklace that Mike gave me. Two charms for Christmas in '07. Another for Valentine's Day in '08. 

They're special.

I stood up, ready to have a heart attack. Called Mike, ready to cry. No answer. 

I heard jingling. 

I reached into my pants. 

A chain. 

I took them off. 1 leg - 1 charm. Another leg - 2 charms. 

My necklace was in 4 pieces, IN MY PANTS, the whole time I was weaving through eastern Manhattan. 

(phew)