I woke up early this morning ready to take on the day. I had plans for shopping, I had shopping lists in Dutch and a plan of attack. It had been drizzling out but it didn't matter, I was carrying my umbrella in my shopping tote. Whenever I carry my umbrella, it doesn't rain. I made my first stop and ended up buying more than I planned eliminating the need for one of my stops. I took out my umbrella and my back up bag from my tote and arranged everything. I lugged it all home, and put the things requiring refrigeration in the chill chest.
I stepped out the door again and just as I locked the door suddenly it was raining again. No worries, I'll pull out my umbrella. It was right... I checked inside and then it hit me, I took the umbrella out to arrange my groceries and don't remember putting it back in. I walked in the rain soaking and now by this time in tears to the store. I walked an extra block out of the way to give myself a chance to compose myself before I walked back into the store. I also went over what I'd ask them in Dutch. It was just an umbrella, why am I getting so upset. I pulled myself together and walked inside the store, I looked around a bit at the shopping carts and it wasn't there, then I asked the cashiers. They politely told me that no one had seen the umbrella. I walked back out in the rain, the other people I saw on the street seemed oblivious to the rain. It wasn't about that at all, I was upset with myself for knowing better. I also felt a little betrayed that no one turned in my umbrella. It was a very gently used automatic umbrella and I'm sure whoever found it saw what a score it was and subscribed to the "finders keepers, losers weepers" philosophy.
Irritated with myself, I remembered these polka dot umbrellas at a store. So I walked in the rain to just go buy the polka dot umbrella. It was well out of my way of my plan of attack, but sometimes you just need to be flexible. I now have my new polka dot umbrella, it's lighter weight, probably easier to forget.
Is that really representative of the Dutch? I can generalize based on an isolated incident. I'm really curious about this now that I've encountered this. Back in May, I was in Amsterdam with a friend and had left my wallet on a bench in an ice cream shop. I didn't realize this until I was a block away. A Spanish couple visiting noticed a young man pick up what they thought was a mobile phone and run off in my direction. I didn't see him and I went back to the ice cream shop for a while hoping he'd return. Luckily I kept my passport and some cash in my hotel room. I did have my IDs, credit cards, and around 60 Euros in the wallet. I went to the police station and filed a report. I do have to say all of the Dutch people I encountered and and had to tell about my stolen wallet were very sympathetic and urged me not to let the experience tarnish my visit to the Netherlands. My credit cards were never used and I replaced the IDs that were due to expire the following month. I do believe the guy tried to find me and gave up. He had no way to find me.
I always expect a 50/50 chance of something being turned into lost and found in the US but 90% of the time I get my things back. This isn't a better indicator either because I've left or lost things that were much easier to trace back to me. I had roots in the US but I'm only growing them now.
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