Day Twenty-Six:: Hampton Court and RIP to my Wallet and it's Contents

Today I went to Hampton Court.  Unfortunately I left my tiara at home, so I had to make due with a braid crown.  There were lots of great ceilings, which made me quite happy.

But here's the part that everyone is dying to hear about.  Pick Pocketing.  It's real, I can prove it via the wallet that I no longer own.  Yep people KELSIE MARIE BOWLER IS A VICTIM OF PICK POCKETING. And of all people to have their wallet taken in such a way, of course it would be the girl who was once described as the "most lucky girl I have ever met" by her high school swim coach (that's me if you didn't catch on).

The train was crowded and honestly I should have caught on to what was happening, but I am a foolish American that thought that my bag was pick-pocket proof.  Jokes on me, because it isn't. But also the jokes on the tall guy that stole my wallet because there were maybe two pounds in it.  My beautiful J. Crew wallet is probably in a dingy rubbish bin in London by now.

This event gave me the opportunity to file my very first police report.  Oh what an experience!!!! I got to go where many pick-pocketing victims go: the control booth thing at the tube station and there I was able to call the police (I think I talked to the police, I am not completely sure as I wasn't the one that dialed the number).  I need to give a shout out to the guy that I talked to on the phone.  First of all he was really nice and a bit concerned I think, as he would ask me if he needed to send someone to me because I seemed really upset.  I continuously declined.

Secondly, I think that he was flirting with me.  My first piece of evidence for this theory is that he asked me if I was on a date. This was not a question that needed to be included in the report.  But apparently the report did require a description of what I look like.  So there I was, describing what I look like and what I am wearing to a stranger over the phone.  Does that not seem totally inappropriate?? It does.  And as I described myself he was really enjoying it.  Honestly I felt really powerful in that moment and I unfortunately really enjoyed it.  The flirting was also evident as he attempted samll talk and asked me how long I had been in London.  I responded saying that I arrived on the seventh of this month.  HE then for some reason decided that this was the best way to respond: "Oh and you've even got a bit of the accent down."  I don't at all.  Maybe the phone line sucked, or he was just being a major suck-up.  But no I actually sounded entirely like a terrified American.

Third, there were some awkward parts.  I was required to answer if I was religious.  Given that I am here through BYU I most definitely said yes.  Then I was asked to what denomination I was affiliated.  I proudly declared "I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints."  That confused the flirtatious man, so I tried again, "Mormon."  That made no difference so I tried one more time "LDS".  He was still confused, but took it as an answer and moved on.  Also I had to describe how I felt at the moment.  Like dude are you supposed to be a therapist now? So I was like well I feel upset and angry and sad.  He then decided to ask me if I feel vulnerable.  Well I thought that he was joking and that he said wonderful, so I went with it.  It was awkward, but I soon figured out what he meant to say and then responded saying that yes I do feel vulnerable.  But it gets weirder.  He continued to ask me if I feel vulnerable just at this moment, or if I just generally feel vulnerable in my life in general.  WHAT THE CRAP WAS I SUPPOSED TO SAY TO THAT?? WHAT IN THE CRAP DID I SAY TO THAT I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER TO BE HONEST.

The call ended, he will probably be emailing me love letters soon as I did not even have a phone number for them to have on file.  I am now grateful that I don't have a number that he could have gotten his hands on.

But I need to thank some amazing girls who waited patiently as I filed the report and who rubbed by back as I was attempting to hold the phone to my face with my super shaky hand.  These wonderful girls who invited me to join them in the first place and then ended up helping me pay to get back home and then bought me dinner from McDonald's.  So Abbie, Jillian, Halie, and Kristen THANK YOU SO MUCH YOU GIRLS ARE SO AMAZING I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO THANK YOU FOR BEING SO GREAT.  I never would have thought that in only three-ish weeks that I would have been able to find such amazing and beautiful girls that would be so helpful and kind and I am so glad that I did.

So remember to keep your personal belongings on your person at all times,
Kelsie