Stardate 20020519.2213

(Captain's log): I have an HP Jornada 720 which I like a great deal. It has a lot of gee-whiz factor, and it's light enough to carry around conveniently (which my laptop isn't, really).

Pretty much every day, I go to my neighborhood mall to get my breakfast. I usually buy doughnuts or muffins and get coffee, and then sit in an open area near the food court where there's a small outdoor seating area. I did that today, and got distracted watching a man with a couple of really cute kids who were having a great time playing in one of those computer-controlled fountains which little kids love so much. So I picked up my coffee and the last croissant and headed to my car.

About four hours later I tried to find my Jornada, and couldn't. So I stopped, and thought really hard, and realized I'd left it there this morning when I had my breakfast. And I felt a bit sick. Of course, there was no chance I was going to get it back. A thousand bucks down the tube...

But I decided to go see, anyway. No, it wasn't where I'd left it. So I went to the Chinese restaurant and asked if anyone had turned in a hand-held computer, and they said no. Then I went next door and asked in the French restaurant, and the young lady behind the counter said she'd go look in the office. I described it to her, and waited. I didn't expect anything, but she brought it out! Evidently someone found it and left it at the restaurant.

It's easy to get cynical about people, to assume that down deep inside everyone is evil. It isn't true. There are a lot of good people out there. Someone found my computer and could easily have kept it; no-one would ever have known. Instead, my unknown friend decided to do me a good turn.

Whoever it is out there, thank you.