I miss the obvious

“If you see someone with it make sure you get it back for me,” my wife Mary tells me as we stand in the lobby of the Wallingford Family YMCA, preparing to leave.
“It” is a reference to her iPOD. She left it on a treadmill and when she went back to the Y a few days later it was not there. Ditto at the lost and found.
She seemed surprised that it wasn’t right where she left it and shocked that no one turned it in.
”Who would want my iPOD?,” she asks.
Just about everyone, I think to myself.
The Y clientele is friendly and honest and I’ve personally witnessed people retrieve watches, wallets, keys and other valuables right where they left them. I was with one of Danny’s friends when we found $300 in store gift certificates he had left next to a vending machine.
But the chance of recovering an iPOD left on treadmill for a few days is slim at the Vatican gym and less anywhere else. In her present state I don’t want to tell Mary that because in these situations if I say ANYTHING her hostility immediately transfers to me.
But the notion that I might be able to spot her iPOD as it passes me connected to someone’s ears is practically begging me to ask the obvious and I think she knows that and that is why she said it. I try to hold back, but can’t.
“Mary, how would I know that someone has YOUR iPOD?”
“Because it has that aqua cover on it,” she replies as though I’ve missed the obvious.
Aqua is her favorite color and she is proud of it. She never pays attention to football on TV unless the Dolphins are playing and then she reminds us that the Dolphins are her favorite team because she loves Dolphins and their aqua uniforms. I’ve heard it her say it at least 200 times in 20 years of marriage.
I know that I should just let it go, but am unable.
“Mary, I’m sure there are thousands of people walking around with aqua covers on their iPODs.”
“You know the playlist of my iPOD,” she counters, again sounding surprised that I didn’t think of it.
Since we are in the lobby in full view of lots of people I do not scream or bang my head against the wall or pull at my hair. It takes me a few seconds to compose myself.
“How am I going to know what is on someone’s playlist? Are you suggesting I rip the headphones from their ears and check it. What if I’m wrong? I’d probably be arrested.”
She huffed and told me I had proven that I really didn’t care about her stolen iPOD.
“I don’t need your help,” she said walking away.

If you have seen an aqua iPOD with my wife’s playlist, please post something on this blog. If you own an aqua iPOD and frequent the Wallingford Y or the southeastern section of town, beware of a pretty brunette, about 5 foot, 3 inches tall, slim, curly hair, green eyes. She looks 35 or 10 years younger than her husband.