My husband always says I’m a very lucky person. Not just because I married him (pause for chuckle), but when things go awry for me, they somehow always work out in the end. Of course, that’s not completely true, but it happens often enough that I think he might be right. Now, I’m not talking about luck like privilege. I know I was born with many privileges that have allowed things to go a certain way in my life. I’m talking about when I leave my purse in an auditorium and on my walk back to go look for it I find it in a bush with all my credit cards and ID in it and only the few dollars I ever carry are missing. Or when I realize that I must’ve dropped my wallet and as I’m getting ready to go look for it, someone shows up at the door with my wallet in hand. That kind of luck.
“Um…it turns out I don’t have my keys,” I tell my husband over the phone. It’s 7:30 am on a Monday morning. He’s already dashed off to work and I’m getting ready to leave myself. I’m disturbed, but calm because I know I have a spare car key and if I can’t find a spare key to the house there are at least two different people in the neighborhood who do. Also, I’m a very lucky person.
“Oh my god, and you don’t have a key to you car!” My husband assumes the worst because, well, he’s not lucky. I imagine him in his office with his hand to his head, anxious, and trying to solve the problem.
“No, I have a key to the car; I can get to work,” I assure him.
“Okay, I’ll look for your keys when the students get into class.” Spoiler alert: he did not in fact go look for the keys.
I head to school myself and soon forget about the keys. At lunch, when I have a moment to breathe, I remember and realize that I’ve never heard from my husband. He must be busy, I’ll call him later, I think.
It’s now 5:00 pm and I still haven’t heard. Now I’m wondering if I should call my in-laws. Did I leave my keys in Carmel? (It’s a 5 1/2 hour drive from our house.) Maybe my luck has run out since I found my husband’s ring that I put away for “safekeeping” on Sunday.
Just as I was about to pick up my phone to check in with my father-in-law, I hear my husband walk in the door. He holds up my keys. “You are really lucky,” he tells me as he hands them over.
“Oh phew!” I mean I knew they would show up, but still.
“Hey, tomorrow I’m going to pick up my iPad at the post office. Your parents Fedexed it and it’s supposed to be here by 10:30 in the morning.” I tell my husband as he puts away his work gear. The lucky streak continues.
But just in case, I ordered an AirTag to put on my keys.

Vivian, since I am always losing my keys or phone, I like your optimistic, stay calm attitude. Your new key ring says it all. Pass some luck over to me, please.
Consider the luck sent!
This piece has so many “voice” moves. I love the asides to readers through the parentheses and the spoiler alerts, and I’ll be interested to hear if that Airtag works. My daughters have given mixed reviews.
Thanks, Melanie! I’m a bit of an overuser of the parenthetical asides. LOL. You know I won’t be able to give you a review of the AirTag because now that I have it, I’ll never lose my keys!
I have neighbors with keys to my house too. Best to cover all the bases. Sometimes our luck takes a bit to kick in! We just put a Tile on my keys, but it’s hard to hear. I need to find out how to increase the volume. Oh, the challenges of the disorganized! Aren’t we lucky that things usually work out?
I had a Tile on my school keys because as a coach I left them all over the building! But I was never close enough. Hoping the AirTag is a step up.
My wife is the complete opposite of you. When she can’t find something she gets frazzled. Luckily, though, I am usually able to help her find them. So, how is your luck with playing the lottery?
Every time I go to the market, I ask my husband, “Do you want anything?” His answer is always, “winning lottery numbers.” I haven’t been successful yet!
Put this way, I am lucky, but I haven’t always thought so. Are you lucky at contests? I have a friend who wins stuff all the time, like during staff drawings, that sort of thing. May your good luck continue and extend to others!
I am not lucky in contests! Apparently statistics trump a positive attitude. LOL.
I just love the way you keep us in suspense with the thread of “I’m a lucky person” weaving throughout. Beautifully done!
Thanks, Lanny!
Ahhh, that wonderful luck! This is a delightful post to read, Vivian, and I feel lucky that this world has writers like you in it. You know, I have similar luck when it comes to my credit/debit card. There are times where it goes AWOL and I have to hold off for a day or so in the reporting it lost, because it inevitably shows up somewhere: the pocket of a pair of pants, the crack between the seats of my car. AND. That key chain? I just might need that in my life!
Thank you so much Lainie. When I read other authors, like you, who are so eloquent and have such a way with words, it really makes me questions my own abilities.
My sister bought me that keychain–she knows me well!
Ahhhhh impostor syndrome. I know it well, Vivian. Let me be among the (hopefully) many who would insist that your place as an author is RIGHTFULLY earned. <3