Over this recent break, I learned a valuable lesson the hard way, and it was the most stressed I have ever been in my already-stressed-out life.

As I was driving home for break, I stopped at a Casey’s in the middle of nowhere to get a slice of pizza. My hands were full when I got to my car, so I put all my stuff on my car hood and then opened its door. Then I ate my pizza in the car before driving. I got back on the highway going 70, as one is supposed to go, and I realized something was flapping on my windshield. It was my wallet.

I started freaking out, but before I had time to slow down and pull over to pick up the wallet off the windshield it had already flown off into the woods between two roads. I pulled over and looked for it. I was on a somewhat steep hill and not long into searching I called my mom. I told her I’m not leaving until I find it. She said she would come help me look for it, so she drove over an hour to come help.

I continued to search and I fell a few times and got tons of scratches. It did not help that it was windy. I didn’t think I drove that far between the time I got in my car at Casey’s and when I pulled over on the highway but I decided to walk farther away from the car. I walked almost a mile from where I parked my car and I finally found the wallet in the grass by the shoulder of the roadway.

   I was so relieved I tried to call my mom to tell her I found it and that she didn’t need to drive up here anymore, but her phone kept going straight to voicemail.

I would call every once in awhile on my way home but I was still getting her voicemail. I got home and a half hour later she called to tell me she was in Illinois looking for my car. I told her I was already home and that I found my wallet. She was not too happy because she had tried calling me several times and the calls wouldn’t go through. She only got through to me when she restarted her phone and was able to get service.

My mom and I both learned valuable lessons that day. For her, it was always restart your phone if it has no signal. I learned to not put my wallet on the windshield and drive off with it still there.

I was lucky I found my wallet, but when I checked it I found that my $37 in birthday money was missing. On the positive side, all of my ID cards and debit card were still there. Your lesson is to take my advice: don’t pull a Kate and drive with your wallet on the outside of your car.

Kate Rehwinkel is a senior management major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or kerehwinkel@eiu.edu.