I don't carry a wallet, well at least for now and many years, sometimes it makes sense, but it is one less thing to lose, done that twice, went back to a dark building being rehabbed I delivered trusses to, retraced my steps, in the dark and found it. Another time when shifted off from digging column footings at the alpha mercury plant addition or new building, boss man sent us to do a favor in the neighborhood, which was Jersey City, a lawyer friend of his sent us over to clean up and remove trash between 2 brownstones, including the backyard, the darned spent crack viles were almost ankle deep ! Some how the darned wallet got out, and had to have landed on the street from the truck I was driving. I had thought one of these addicts sneaked into my truck, but I kept whatever money separate, the foreman was irritated with my reaction to this event and my demeanor with a couple of locals, he was right, I was still a young fool, was headed to CA soon, always happens when you need it the most, like going on vacation. Well before I left, a puerto rican woman, of senior citizen age, tracked down where I worked, called the office and let them know it was found and to stop by and claim it. Very nice woman and family, devout in their faith, no need to mention religion here, but her place was adorned with things of my faith, you could tell, I thanked her and stated I'd like to leave something to show my appreciation for their honesty, she would have none of it, was totally amazed that in this drug addict infested gang land, there were people like this that easily shine through all that haze. I have not carried one since, keep whatever cards I need in a case that goes with me and gets removed from whatever I am driving.
Cell phone, yes I hate being that connected and accessible, people can be annoying but now with these smart phones, they are an indispensable tool. I had one of those bag phones, my car shorted a fusible link in the south bronx, on the highway, near a bad neighborhood, 2x, seems some water got in, (gee, keeping an engine compartment clean and using a power washer LOL - idiot...that be me LOL).
I removed all my worldly goods, filled my backpack which I was never without, placed that bag phone on top with the handset out and over my shoulder, I felt like an RTO man again, just not as heavy, shorter antennae, made my way through to public transportation as AAA sent a towtruck out and brought it to a garage, sure as heck glad I had that darned cumbersome phone, saved my @ss and likely my car, you don't use phone booths and be of caucasian persuasion in these places, LOL, they can spot you easily, so you have to keep moving like you live there.
Essential tools, like when working in the woods tools for my saw and or anything similar when working, I try like heck to cross off everything on my list that I need before I head out, because if you need it, and don't have it, it can be such a waste of time.
I spend a fair amount of time trying to not forget things, sometimes I wonder how the heck I get anything done, because preparing to do so, takes so long, and when you look back, you have nothing done yet LOL !!!
