Many years ago, when I used to commute on Metro North from Brewster to NYC, I searched for my wallet when I got to Grand Central to get a subway token (yea, we used to use them).
No wallet … panicked that I left it home, I asked the Conductor if I could borrow subway fare from him (I was a regular, so he loaned it to me).
Then I got home, and my wallet was not there. For some reason, I refused to report everything lost and apply for new stuff (Licenses, credit cards, etc), and I just used money I borrowed from my wife.
About a week later I got on the same train, tried to remember about how many cars back I was, and what seat I was in. They had 3 different color seats, Red, Brown + Black, and I knew I was in a Black seat, on the left, almost half way back. I got in the seat and found my wallet, with everything in it, tucked between the seat and the side.
I informed the Conductor that I found it, and he just shook his head in disbelief! He said that they have hundreds of cars, they are unhooked and re hooked every night, in no particular order. That I got lucky enough to find the same car in the same place was beyond any probable odds. I guess it was just a good bit of luck that I found it, I was not even sure that I was in the right car, or the right seat!
That was the one and only time I lost my wallet, and I don't intend to let it happen again … it was scary!
My wife lost hers last year while grocery shopping, and had to re apply for everything … what a PITA!!!