It was an uncomfortable feeling of something missing as I realized that the cold on my head was the result of the absence of my favorite winter hat. Baseball style, cashmere, waterproof, with ear flaps - available if needed yet neatly folded out of sight most of the time. A perfect hat.

On Monday, with the blizzard on its way, I was meeting an attorney from out-of-town and a client in the lounge of a mid-town hotel. In a rush, I folded my coat and hat on the sofa next to me.

The meeting was going well but was disrupted by an email that the lawyer got advising that his flight that evening had been cancelled. Understandably distracted, he scurried to find another flight and found one, abruptly ending the meeting early.

The client left and the lawyer and I got into the car in order to get him to the airport for the earlier flight. After dropping him off, I continued home.

As I got out of the car, the sensation of cold on my head and the sickening realization that the hat was missing overwhelmed me. Then, the fear that it was LOST.

I retraced my steps in my mind. Not in the car. Only hope was that it had to be at the hotel. I called. Anxious moments as I got to the right person. Yes, it was found. Thankfully, they are holding it for me. A good ending. I really wasn't ready to lose that hat.