<p>A funny thing just happened. The phone rang and I picked up and the caller said: "college daughter's name?" and I said, no, I was not her but I was her mom. And she says, "she left her Northface jacket in the dining hall." I laughed as I realized that all these years, we always put our kids' names on everything and with jackets, also our phone number and so this girl had picked it up and was calling the number on it, assuming it likely was my D's cell phone number but it was here at home in Vermont. Just like old times! I joked with her how it had paid off putting names in things when she was younger, even in college. She said she would leave it with the desk there. I called my D on her cell and told her where her jacket was...lol. Just like old times. I said, "you left your jacket in the dining hall." and I paused to see if she would be wondering how in the world I would know. She did remark how nice it was of that girl to choose to call and not just leave it. She said she went there after ski (dryland) training and peeled it off. </p>
<p>I'm still needed ;-).
Just like old times. </p>
<p>Then again, this particular daughter is so responsible with her belongings and this was rare for her. But my other D does things like this DAILY and I could be getting calls each day from college. Then again, she usually just loses the stuff.</p>
<p>Soozievt, same here! I'm always forgetful, so even on my travel bags and my coats and such, my mom always labels my name and our phone number (if one is available)..</p>
<p>I can't wait to get to college and have my mom call me and hear her say: "Hey, someone called about your jacket!".. hehehe</p>
<p>That is a nice story! Don't you also have a son Susan? I thought you also have a son.</p>
<p>There is that brief period when they leave the nest which is hard on parents. All the worry, you want them to find their wings but also wish they wouldn't. But before you know it there are grandchildren.And all the adjustment going with it.Try to enjoy their independence from you now!!</p>
<p>I forgot my jacket outside the classroom my first year at Kent State and some farger stole it. It was a military issue coat also. To this day, if I see someone walking around in a camo coat on campus I feel like questioning them. I guess New Englanders are more honest than people from Kent.</p>
<p>Backhandgrip, nope, I don't have any boys. Just two teenage girls. Hubby still got to do all the stuff a dad normally likes to do with boys including sports (his favorite being ski racing....and both did it). One kid was in Little League for many years. He also is very into my D's theatrical stuff. ONE time, much to her chagrin, when she was cast as Annie in Annie, at a local theater, and her sister was cast in the same show as Pepper, he decided to audition (does not do theater himself but they needed more men) and he got in the show and they were all in it together! He felt he might never have such an opportunity again (this is true given his talent and hers but this was community theater). He has also played guitar for the musical revues my daughter has ccreated/directed. So lotsa girls here but one guy in the family with them. </p>
<p>Joe, I don't know that it is so much a regional thing as to who is honest when it comes to returning lost items. I am not surprised at Brown cause of how the kids are there. My daughter would have done the same thing. Still, it was nice of her to not only NOT steal it but to go to the effort to call the person who it belonged to when found. </p>
<p>Just so you don't think it is a regional thing....my OTHER daughter who leaves her outwear/clothing/bags in the changing room at our dance studio when she is in dance class, had a brand new jacket stolen there once. She also took her brand new shoes off after school one day and left them in a hallway outside a piano practice room she was waiting in until I arrived to pick her up and the shoes were taken. All kinds of people in this world, and it is not such a regional issue afterall. </p>
<p>Yeah its funny, when I lived on the campus I got these items stolen: Computer, Printer, VCR, my Air Force gortex coat. All this in one semester. Now that I have been off campus, nothing at all has been stolen. Fargers living on campus must be very broke to steal such trivial stuff. I absolutely detest thieves and vandals.</p>
<p>Joev, yes, it is disconcerting about these behaviors of other people who steal. Once in another house I lived in, in this same rural town, where nobody locks their doors (though we do now), someone entered my home and robbed us but it was a bizarre robbery. They did not take the valuables you might have thought of like stereos, sterling silver flatware, etc. etc. Instead, they took our dinner plates, our vacuum, our winter coats, brand new hiking boots in the box, wrapped Hanukah gifts from relatives not yet opened in a bag, and my backpack. It was like they were setting up a home! </p>
<p>The worst thing they stole for me was my backpack because back then, I was an elementary school teacher and I took all my work home and worked many hours at home on my teaching job. I had extensive plans in it, all my extensive evaluations and narrative reports I wrote on each child quarterly (no computer back then) and much else. It was irreplaceable for me and set me back. When I discovered the robbery, I had to miss a day of school in order to regroup and it was very hard. Also, there is a feeling of violation in these situations...to think someone walked into my home and helped themselves to what they wanted or needed. Not nice. </p>
<p>Noone can claim that thieves are not total idiots though. When I was 17 I threw a party when my parents were out of town. I have a nice collection of baseball cards there. They stole my Ken Griffey Jr. Upper deck card ($35 value at the time) and passed over my Pete Rose rookie card ($650 value) and my Jim Brown card ($150 value) Total idiots. BTW, my dad didn't give me back all the beer he confiscated from that party. Another $100 lost.</p>
<p>Susan - loved your story!<br>
Yesterday we had a cold front come through and I grabbed an old pair of socks to wear. I felt something in the sock and saw it was an iron-on label with my daughter's
name on it. Obviously from when she attended equestrian camp 6 years ago! LOL</p>