It was April 6, 2024, it must have been around 1:30 p.m. when my doorbell rang with unusual intensity. DHL, Hermes,...? I hadn't ordered anything. I heard the desperate voice of my 96-year-old neighbor over the intercom. She asked me to open the door for her so that she could get to her spare key in the cellar. The reason for her desperation? She had left her handbag at a streetcar stop on the way from the cemetery where she had visited her late husband's grave. Everything was in it: ID, debit card, apartment keys, glasses and even her smartphone. A return to the tram stop brought no hope; the bag had disappeared.
When I helped her carry her shopping bag upstairs, she told me the whole story. Her family was busy moving house, but despite her own predicament, she thought to ask them for help to cancel her bank card. I offered to help, took care of the blocking hotline and made sure that at least her money was safe.
While we talked about what else needed to be done - apply for a new debit card, change the lock, reapply for ID, order new glasses - I encouraged her not to give up hope. The world is full of good people, and maybe someone would find the bag and hand it in.
