Page 16 - ARRS #582 - The Mystery of the Lost Wallet

Another Random Road Story #582

The man named Sebastian, who had gone to a Mud Hens game this
afternoon and fallen in the mud this evening, was sloppily patting his pockets
in sequence – one after the other after the other, and repeating the sequence.
I put the car in park and waited for him to find his keys and his money.
“I have to stand up to find my wallet,” he said.
“Yeah, okay, no problem.”
He exited the cab, on much steadier legs this time, and slammed the door
securely.
Good job, man. I’ve seen others do worse.
Sebastian came around to my window and told me he needs to get money
out of the house. I told him it was no problem, that I was glad he was okay
after his fall. He laughed and went inside, after assuring me he would return.
I went to work tidying up my trip sheet. I figured he was awake enough,
and honest enough, to truly return with the money. (Every once in a while
they don’t, and it turns into a problem.) This guy, I had faith in him.
Soon he came back and appeared at my driver’s window. He peered in at
the meter, which still read $38.75, and handed me $50. He asked if he could
get $5 back and if I had a business card.
I obliged him and went on my way.

Part IV – The Aftermath.

[ELECTRONIC MELODIC BEEPING]
The phone!
Ha! I don’t mind working on a lazy Sunday afternoon… because it’s my
own company! I grabbed the phone with a measure of hubris.
[INCOMING CALL: 419-444-0152]
Hmmmm… unfamiliar number…
I pressed the green button on my flip phone and spoke casually into its
microphone:
“Not Another Cab Company.”
[silence]
“Hello,” a man’s voice said. “I think I was in one of your cabs last night.”
“Well, it could be,” I replied heartily. Where did you go?”
“Probably to my house… I… I can’t really remember..,” said the voice.
Ahhhhh drunks. Gotta love ‘em. How about an address?
“Okay, where’s your house? What’s the address?”
“43776 Montague,”