A major problem--my missing passport

In 2003, a major problem occured before leaving Japan.
Four nights before the trip, I thought, "It's about time to put my passport into my bag." However, I couldn't find it. Only three weeks ago, I had taken it to my office to make a copy and send it to the tourist company. At that time, I thought that I didn't have to put it back into the usual place because I would soon be using it, so as I recall I might have put it into a belt bag which I was going to use during my trip and put the bag on the sofa.
First of all, I checked the usual place, but there wasn't there. Not to worry.
The belt bag was open, so I thought that my passport may have fallen out on to the sofa. I checked the things on the sofa one by one, but it wasn't there. Then, I thought maybe it had fallen on to the floor, so I moved the sofa and checked under it and moreover, turned over the carpet, but still no joy. Next, I thought that my passport may have slipped into one of the newspapers or magazines, so I checked. However, I couldn't find it. Oh no!
My passport is quite thick because it is in a leather cover, so I'm sure I wouldn't have thrown it away. Therefore, I thought I should look for it again. Before that, I took a bath to cool down. Then, I checked once again the same place carefully, but I couldn't find. the passport. I found out that it was already two o'clock at midnight.
After I reflected on my conduct, I wasn't sure if I really brought my passport back to my apartment, or after that, if I really took it out of my bag. I had thought I should have taken home. However, when I put it into a drawer in the office, perhaps it slipped from the bag and it was still there. I was confused. Maybe! I decided to go to bed and look for it in the office the next day.
I was agonizing about it all that night. When I began to finally fall to sleep, the next morning came. It was four o'clock. I got up because I didn’t think I could sleep well. I prepared and left home. I arrived in the office at six forty. Ha ha ha!
However, after I searched the drawer, I couldn't find it anywhere.
I thought it was better and quicker to ask to reissue my passport although I would have to pay the fee. I asked my boss if I could take a half day off and went to the passport office.
However, another problem happened to me! The train I took, JR Keihin Tohoku Line, stopped at Shinagawa station because of an accident and it didn't seem that it would move again any time soon. I got off the train and reluctantly changed to Keihin Kyuko Line. It was very crowded. "Usually, I don't use this line. Why does this happen the day when I took this line? Oh, no!" I wanted to go to the passport office as soon as possible, but everything seemed to be against me.
Finally, I arrived there! I asked the attendant to reissue my passport. However, he said that I coudln't get a new passport soon unless I was traveling on business.
Ha ha ha. Are you kidding? I felt terrible!
After that, I telephoned to my boss and asked to take one-day off initially because I wanted to look for my passport at home. I went home and tried to relax. After a short time, I began to look for my passport again. I thought that people could find things which they were looking for at places where they'd previously searched. However, I'd already looked again and again, so actually, I didn't feel I could find my passport in such places. A bad idea began to come to me. Maybe, I had thrown it out together with some magazines and letters a few days ago.
Anyway, I first had a lunch box which I had cooked that morning. After that, I began to look for my passport. However, I couldn't find it. "Should I give up? Hey, help me please…" I wanted to ask for somebody's help. I telephoned my mother and said, "Unfortunately, I've lost my passport."
She lives in my neighborhood, so reluctantly came to my apartment to help me look for my passport. However, we couldn't find it. My mother said, "Did you tell your friend?" Actually, at first I thought that I could find it quickly and moreover, she would go even if it meant going alone, so I hadn't telephoned her yet.
"Yes, I should…"
I telephoned my friend, Tsukasa, and said that I had lost my passport and couldn't get a new one. "But, I think I will find it somewhere. I'm looking for it again." If I cancelled the flight during the day, the cancellation fee would be 30%, but after that, it would increase to 50%.
However, the 50% cancellation fee wouldn't increase until one day before the departure, so I decided I would never give up until the night before.
Again, I spent the night thinking about my trip. "I have some appointments during the trip. Firstly, I was supposed to meet a high school classmate, Mr. K, with Tsukasa. Then, I had plans to see John M. who I was exchanging e-mail with. Moreover, I'd already got tickets for instance, Oscar Wilde's play and "We will rock you!", a musical using a lot of Queen's songs, through internet. Furthermore, I was going to Liverpool for the first time. I was thinking about my many plans. However, it was my fault that I had lost my passport. "Probably, I can't go to England this time."
I had only slept a little, then the morning came. Suddenly, I remembered that about two weeks ago, the light in the hallway was on when I came back home although I thought that I had turned it off. At that time, I thought it was a little strange, because I'd never forgotten to turn off the lights before. I began to think that a thief entered and stole my passport. I heard that recent thieves stole certain targeted things when they broke into a house, so sometimes people wouldn't know they had been robbed. I thought the possibility was low, but I telephoned the police early that morning. I explained my situation and asked them if I had had my passport stolen, would the police put in the word for me to reissue my passport. The policewoman was very kind although it was very early morning(maybe before 5 o'clock), but her answer was "No". I'd thought so. Ha ha ha.
I couldn't take another day off, so I went to the office.
While I was working in the office, my friend telephoned me. She said, "I've now asked the guardian of a shrine, whom I know, to help you find your passport."
"What do you mean?"
"I asked him to say prayers to find your passport. He said he had prayed, so you'll surely find it. According to him, some people had asked him similar favours and always they were successful in finding the things they wanted. Moreover, I mentioned you to my friend and she said that I should help you look for your passport. Therefore, tomorrow, I will go to your apartment. " Her words were very encouraging.
During lunch time, I telephoned to the Foreign Ministry. "If my passport was stolen, I am a victim, so can I get a new passport immediately?" The answer was "No." Moreover, I telephoned to the customs and asked, "Will you check if somebody used my passport?" If somebody had used my passport, it meant that my passport was stolen, so it was useless to look for it. The customes' answer was also "No."
That night, after I came home, I looked once more in the places I had previously checked many many times, and places which I hadn't checked so much because I hadn't thought that my passport was there. The result was negative. I still couldn't find my passport. I almost gave up.
The next morning came. I thought, "Today, Tsukasa is coming to help me look for my passport, so unexpectedly, maybe I will find it. If I can't find it after she comes, probably, God says I shouldn't go. I have to give up."
I tried to change my feelings and began to look for my passport again. I started to look in unusual places. I opened the top drawer of a wardrobe. It was the drawer I kept my scarves. I saw a familiar red cover from the corner of my eyes. Ha? Wow!! I can't believe it.!
My passport which I had been looking for for three days was there, under a scarf. It was eight thirty in the morning, one day before my departure.
Thus, I was barely saved from a desparate situation after three days and nights which seemed like nightmare. Phew. Probably, I had to thank the shrine which Tsukasa had telephoned.
However, horribly, I couldn't remember I had surely put my passport there. Maybe, I thought that it was a little careless to put my passport on the sofa. Therefore, I probably put it between some scarves in the drawer. Maybe...
From the experience, I learned the following. (1) Put important things in the place where I usually keep them even if I will use them soon. (2) Be aware of what I am doing with important things. (3) Passport cannot be reissued easily even if I make a big fuss or beg and cry, so I must take the upmost care.
Anyway, it was probably only me who telephone to the police, the Foreign Ministry, and the customs when losing their passport. I was too embarassed.
Moreover, there is another story after my problem. At the end of the year, I had a chance to meet some of Tsukasa's friends. When I introduced myself, they always said, "Ah, is that you, the one who lost their passport?." Why do you know about it? How many people had Tsukasa told about my missing passport problem? Ha ha ha.

(2004.11.20)

Yokobruce, I'm a traveller. TOP

to the top

Trip to England