Dude, where's my wallet?

My wallet goes with me everyday. It finds its place in my right back pocket each morning and is always there when I need it. On the rare occasion I forget my wallet, I feel almost naked without it, reaching for it throughout the day even when I have no use for it. Is it because my wallet contains valuable items like my debit and credit card? I guess my subconscious could feel that if my wallet were missing then maybe someone had stolen it and they would have access to my bank information and funds. Those cards could easily be cancelled and replaced though. Also, someone who stole my wallet would probably notice that I carry no cash and might figure out that they wouldn't get much from my debit card either!

It seems like an item this essential to my everyday routine would also include something important to me, but it really doesn't. If my wallet were found by a stranger, they could probably contact me to give it back because my wallet does contain my driver's license. My driver's license actually has my current address on it, which was only updated a few months ago, almost a year after moving to my current home! From this item a stranger might also learn my height, weight, hair color, eye color, and that I am an organ donor.

My wallet also contains my insurance cards for medical, vision, dental, which are issued with the name of my employer. A stranger who found my wallet might learn from this that I have a job at a nursing assistance facility and the company helps me to obtain my coverage. They would also find an auto insurance policy card, but might be confused to find a different name on this document. That is because the policy is in my girlfriend's name. A stranger wouldn't know this though. Would someone then assume I was married? Would they think at age 31 that I am still on my parents' insurance policy? Or would they really be off base and think that I stole this card?

Tucked away in the smallest space in my wallet is a frequent customer card from a coffee stand that I often visit. This is the only item in my wallet that might give a stranger some insight into my more than just my stats, but my likes and interests. From this card a stranger might not know of the extent of my caffeine addiction, but they could probably imagine me using this as I pull through the coffee stand drive thru on the way to work in the morning.

Why does something that is such an insignificant part of our life play such a major role? When I have my wallet tucked safely into my back pocket I feel in control, but without it I am vulnerable.

From the above items I described in my wallet, someone might assume that I was a simple person carrying only the essentials. They might also realize that by the Columbia label on my wallet I enjoy the outdoors, but they would not know that I am going to school to become a nurse. Nor would they know the pathway I have taken in life to get there. A person looking in my wallet would not know the people who are the most important to me, including my girlfriend and my family, especially my nieces and nephews. Even though this person would know my identification, they would not know me as a caring friend, a giving person, a caregiver at work, a loyal brother, a fun uncle, or even the fact that I drink Bloody Marys any time of the day! My wallet is a little window into my life, but in no way paints of a full picture of Kevin Slater.