To Catch a Thief

I discovered Wednesday morning that my SecurID token for work was missing. For those unfamiliar with these devices, they provide a new random number every 60 seconds that is used to log in to a secure system. I will eventually need it to access my company's VPN network to get access to sites inside their firewall. However, I do most of my work primarily from a client-imaged laptop, including using their email account and their VPN, which uses a different secure access process. The only thing I need the SecurID token for right now is accessing my actual company email, which is rarely urgent, and if it is, my manager would let me know. I did tell my manager so she would be aware that I would not have access to my company email until I found it, but its loss was not affecting my ability to work. More than anything, I was embarrassed about it. We've only had these things for about 2 months, and here I've already misplaced mine!

I had my prime suspect in custody, though she wasn't doing much talking. Lots of purring! But not much talking. Like most younglings of any species, Star has a habit of making toys out of whatever she finds laying around. Her favorites are pens, Kix, and LEGOs. However, she has been known to pilfer DH's finger splint or even a magnet off the refrigerator. She particularly likes to knock things off the dining room table and chase them across the hardwood in the adjacent unused living room. I use the dining room table as my desk!

Now, I am fully aware of this habit of hers, so I have made it a point to try and keep the token somewhere that she cannot get to it. I distinctly recall having it on Friday, but I don't recall putting it away, so I probably left it sitting out on the table. I also distinctly remember Star wildly chasing something all over the living room on Saturday, but I was too lazy to go see what it was. Thus it was not a huge leap of imagination to think that she had probably nicked it. (Yes, I've been watching Law & Order: UK, why do you ask?) I looked all over the dining room and in the obvious places among boxes and whatnot in the living room, but I couldn't find it. I was planning a very thorough sweep for this weekend, and if I still couldn't locate it come Monday, I'd just have my manager order a new one.

Then, this evening, I heard my husband calling me from down the hall. "Erin, come in here, please." Why? "Just come here." Um, okay. "Look carefully. Do you see it?" See what? "Look on the shelf."



Okay, what am I looking for? "Look on the end."



You *know* I hate guessing games. What exactly am I supposed to....



And there it was. In my defense, it *had* occurred to me that I needed to ask Luke if he had seen it or picked it up; it is exactly the type of object he is attracted to. I had actually already looked in all of his usual hidey-holes. The problem was that every time I thought to myself that I needed to question him, he was no where near me, typically either at school or in bed. I would definitely have asked him about it before hunting for it on Saturday, I just hadn't gotten to it yet.

When I asked Luke about it, I couldn't help but smile. As you can see, he has a few things that decorate the backpack, including a basketball and a Star Command badge from Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. This is the backpack he takes on trips.

Me [pointing to the token]: Luke, where did you get this?
Luke: I found it on the table. I wanted to put it on my backpack so I would know what time it is.
Me: Okay, well, I actually need this for my work, that's why it was on the table next to my work computer. I need to have it back, please.
Luke [heaving a big sigh]: Okay, here you go, Mommy. I just wanted it so we would know what time to do things when we go to Disney.

Aww! I am now on the lookout for the perfect clip-on watch for him, which I hope to have in hand as a gift before our next trip to Disney. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears.

Currently feeling: criminal