For a long time I have grown increasingly intolerant of massive crowds and chaos; I guess it’s part of growing old… So when we got to Paris airport and had to find our way to our Airbnb unit, it involved several steps, including taking the train from Charles de Gaulle airport to Gare du Nord, one of the busiest train stations in the world. The train was a mass of activity, and Kathleen and I were lucky enough to get a seat. We had our luggage on our laps and on the floor between us, and this gentleman who was standing in the aisle seemingly dropped something that landed down at my feet right by the luggage. He searched down to get it, and without getting into all the sordid details, when he came up he showed us a Bluetooth earphone case, indicating that is what he lost.

I kind of sluffed it off, and as I exited the train 10 minutes later I reached into my pocket and said, “oh shit, he got my wallet.”

It’s really a money clip, which had 40 euros, one credit card, one driver’s license, and one press card. The credit card, is of course the most risky, but within a minute or two after arriving at my station I got an email from Citibank asking me to approve a $3,700 charge! That thief didn’t waste any time. I immediately declined, went to the app, and said it was stolen. They put a lock on it, and a new card is on the way. No loss there. The $40 cash, no big deal, and my driver’s license was reordered online.

As violated as we felt, we both recognize it could have been a whole lot worse. Losing a phone, losing a passport, they are very bad, and much more difficult to replace. The things we have lost in the past were out own doing, but having someone take something from us was more difficult to handle.

Here are some tips so that you can learn from my bone-headed mistake !

* Obviously, keep your valuables somewhere hidden, and preferably behind a zipper, button, or snap. Mine was in my cargo pants lower pocket, but he spent enough time there to get it out. Doh!

* If there is a commotion around you, let your spider senses guide you because that can be a sign that’s something is taking place. That can happen with as little as two people, or a crowd, or it could be nothing. Best to be prepared.

* Don’t carry any more cash on your person than you need. I only carry one of my credit cards, enough cash that I think I need for the moment, and usually my driver’s license. Going forward, I don’t think I will keep my driver’s license with me, because unless I am renting a car I do not need it. Fortunately I had two credit cards to back up so I was up and running without a lapse.

I tend to be the person that worries less than most everyone else, and I believe the universe will sort stuff out. I generally believe in the good of people and the positive of every possible scenario. And I will continue to do so. We don’t want to be paranoid, but we do want to be cautious.

When we got to the train station Kathleen and I were both a bit shook up. We needed a little bit of time to sit and collect ourselves and really analyze the situation for what it was. We recognize that it could certainly have been worse than that, and except for some inconvenience and about $80 worth of expenses, now I know better. Fortunately, we are heading back to the US in a few days, so I can retrieve my new credit card and hopefully my new driver’s license then – The timing couldnt t be better.

Do you have any lessons that you’ve learned either from experience or from someone else? Do tell!