I was at French Baker in SM North, pissed as hell because my parents backed out of a Viking's dinner reservation I painstakingly waited for weeks (how mature, right?). I was in the process of paying for my order, my left hand holding my wallet and phone, and the other hand holding my money. A woman suddenly showed up next to me and grabbed my Prada, screaming, "wallet ko to!"
I screamed back, "wallet ko to!" And you wouldn't believe it, but my left hand's grip on my Prada was so tight she didn't even get to dislodge it from my hands (thank you, adrenaline). And then back and forth, we went:
Crazy woman: "Wallet ko 'to!"You have to be there to see how insane we both sounded. This happened in a span of like, 3 seconds, but people were gathered around us already. Then she said, it's her wallet (again) and she even has gift certificates inside to prove it. And what happened next was even more insane, because I distinctly remember seeing SM gift certificates inside my wallet (I got it from a Christmas party exchange gift), and I started to doubt if it was indeed my wallet. See, that's how weak-minded I am, easily swayed by wild-eyed, spasmic strangers.
Me: "Wallet ko 'to!"
CW: "Wallet ko 'to!"
Me: "Wallet ko 'to!"
Then, like a splash of cold water, she said, "Ay sorry. Akala ko wallet ko." And you know what my stellar reply was?
"Oh my god. Lawyer ako. Hindi ako magnanakaw. Naafford ko naman ang Prada kahit papano."
Yes, I get all the lawyer jokes, and being a thief is no longer that far off from being a lawyer by this society's standards. On top of that, it sounded really mayabang. But in all honesty, I kinda said that more to myself, in utter disbelief that I was mistaken for a thief.
Crazy woman then turned to the cashier and other staff of French Baker and asked if they have seen her wallet. I finally got time to observe her. Simply dressed, and holding car keys in her hands. The staff remembered her because she was there just minutes ago, and she paid for her bread using French Baker GC's. But no, they have not seen her wallet.
She apologized to me again, explaining her wallet is similar to mine, but it's a Prada in silver hardware, not gold. I was still in shock, so I just stood there shaking, my mouth gaping open. The cashier then offered me a glass of water. I start to calm down. Crazy left in a hurry.
People started to talk to me, and one guy said it was a good thing I did not let go of my wallet because it was probably just a "modus." An old lady asked if I know that woman, and her follow-up questions suggested that they thought I was cheating with the woman's husband. Lola, you've see too many YouTube videos.
Anyways, when I tell this story now to friends, none of them would believe that the woman just made an honest mistake. They all felt she was up to something, and that it was a really good thing I did not let go of my wallet. I think I'm the only one who believed she actually lost her wallet, because if they know how much that thing costs, they would have gone insane too. I know I would.
After that, my parents showed up and I had to recount everything to them. My mom eventually had to be told how much that dang wallet costs, and that earned me a sermon on frugality and practicality that lasted three hours. Oh well.
