Near Miss

This weekend passed in a blur of Bike Rally.  I know, I know. You’d think there would be a break, but it turns out (I discovered, after joining the Steering Committee) that once you’re into the planning of the thing, the work of getting the next year together starts right after you get off your bike in Montreal. So over the last week, my Co-Lead Cameron and I have had a startling number of meetings. (They all clumped up on us.)  I don’t mind this so much, at least there’s lots of knitting on the subway as I troop back and forth, and even the occasional round or two during the meetings, or in between them. Sunday was like that, Cameron and I sat in a pub for hours, meeting the new Team Leads for the year, and talking through the process they’ll work on for the next eight months, and when it was finally over, we had a much deserved pint. Then we met a mutual friend and had a meal and a drink somewhere else, and then we walked to the subway, and I got on, and reached into my bag for my almost finished pair of socks, and…. nothing. Gone. They weren’t there.

I flashed back in my mind to when I’d had them last, and realized that when I’d reached beneath the table in the dark pub, meaning to put them in my purse, I must have missed, and dumped them on the floor instead. I immediately imagined them gone, and texted Cameron something like “$%^$#!!! I lost my knitting!”  (It’s safe to assume that I used actual foul language there.)  Then the train passed into an area with no service, and I sat there.

Losing knitting is always a serious bummer, but losing an almost finished pair of socks during the Christmas crunch was horrifying. I imagined a server picking it up and throwing it away, not realizing it was important. I tried to remember if the server had noticed me knitting, might remember it was mine and put it aside. The place had been busy. I guess I could forgive them it they’d tossed it. (Sort of.) By the time i got off the subway, far from the pub, I’d pretty much reconciled myself to it being gone forever, and I was trying to come up with a plan for how I’d make up the lost time.

Meanwhile, as the train hurtled through the darkness, so was Cameron. Now Cameron and I have been friends for several years, and he gets the knitting thing. Minutes after getting my text,  he headed back through the night to the pub and conducted a search, and as I walked up the street to my house, I got a text. It was this photo,

foundit 2015-12-01

and the words “I got it.”

My joy was complete. Or, it will be when we have another meeting today and I collect it from him. Sunday was cold and crappy out, and that was a nice thing to do, if knitting had a knight in shining armour on Sunday, it was Cameron. (It has occurred to me that he only did it so he didn’t have to listen to me whinge about it at every future meeting for the next month or so until I got over it, but I prefer to think of it the other way, even if it was self defence.)

Being without that knitting for a few days payed off though, in an almost (but for the buttons) finished baby sweater. I’ll show you tomorrow. I’m going to go collect my knitting, have our three meetings for today, and buy that man a beer.

(PS. He’s asked me to teach him to knit.)

(PPS. Today is Giving Tuesday, and it falls this year on World AIDS day. That means it’s pretty much a perfect day to make a little donation to the Rally, if you were so inclined.  My page for this year is here, and just because I’m fond of him today, Cameron’s is here.)

67 thoughts on “Near Miss

  1. tee hee. I’m home sick so I’m reading you during daylight…novel. My heart sank – reaching for non-existent knitting is a show stopper. I’ve done that out-of-sight, slip the needle, ball, marker into the bag thing…and miss! Good job Cameron, a fine friend. Thank you for the link, I’ll go post a donation to the awesome job you all do.

  2. I lost some knitting at a bar in Greenwich Village the Saturday before Hurricane Sandy. My boyfriend had broken his hand at work but, as guys do, “thought it was okay”. By Sunday we were at the hospital and then Monday we got our butts kicked by the storm. It was a week before I noticed it was gone (I had plenty of other projects to work on). By the time I remembered where I left it they had given it away to a customer. I am sort of glad that someone got some knitting to work on while they waited for the lights to come back on.

  3. What a lovely thing for Cameron to do to go to all that trouble. I think giving him the gift of the skill of knitting, the gift that keeps giving, is a fair reward. (Sorry for the awkward language.)

  4. Bam-Cameron has a new donation. Met him over the summer at a Bloor Street festival when he was riding a stationery bike to promote the rally. He TOTALLY deserves to learn to knit!

    As always, you bring out the better in all of us!

  5. Cameron has a good soul doing so many good things. Another contribution for him so he can personally understand the power of knitters.

    And the world needs more knitters.

  6. I too have had that happen, but without the happy results. I was about 3′ into the Guernsy Wrap with the most beautiful yarn purchased at Rhinebeck a few years ago, and I haven’t been able to find it for months. I must have taken it with me somewhere (I almost never leave home without my knitting) but I have no idea where or when. So I lost the project and can’t replace the yarn. Live and learn. Meanwhile I so happy you have Cameron!

  7. What a great friend. They say you are a reflection of the people around you. It definitely shows here. Friendship like that is priceless. It may not be important to him, but he knows it’s important to you, and that is what a true friend will do! Thanks for sharing a great story.

  8. I think Cameron is soon to know the joy of a pair of Yarn-Harlot-hand-knitted-socks. (I’d put them at the head of the once-Christmas-is-done list). Yay Cameron!

  9. I couldn’t imagine if I lost knitting this close to the big event. I might cry. So glad you got it back, and got some more knitting checked off in the process.

  10. Yay Cameron! His good karma is very strong! Well, it was strong to begin with, but he only made it better! I ran over and made a donation to him. Good friends who get the knitting thing are the best. I hope he likes knitting, and if he raffles of a piece of his own knitting, when it gets closer to Bike Rally, I’ll be happy to bid on it!

  11. I had a very similar experience, but the knitting was not located until month and months later….under the seat of my car 😕

  12. A couple of years ago I sat in my local Panera knitting the second of a pair of mittens for my Dad for his Christmas gift. The other ladies with whom I was knitting asked to see the finished mitten. When it came back around the table to me, I plopped it on my lap along with the mitten in progress so I could pick up a different gift I was knitting. At closing time I got up and gathered my stuff and left. When I got home I tidied up the knitting bag only to discover the mittens were gone! Thank the knitting goddesses the Panera was still filled with employees cleaning up and the wonderful clerk said she would stay until I came in to pick up my mittens. Luckily, I live 2 miles from this Panera and the trip back was a quick one. And Daddy got to wear those mittens for two more winters before he passed away.

  13. I’ve been wondering – if the total of your bike rally fundraising was added to the KWB/TSF donations in your sidebar, just what would the total be?

  14. I left a 1 1/2 socks on a plane once. The airline found them and mailed them back! Remembering how happy I was inspired me to donate to Cameron. Good luck with the rally.

  15. Now, Cameron’s “getting it”. Great job readers. Keep up the good work on this day of giving. Stephanie, enjoy finishing that sock.

  16. Hooray for Cameron! This definitely calls for getting him a solid pair of needles, some decent yarn to practice on, and a pint! And, you get another fellow knitter on the next bike rally! It’s a win-win situation!

  17. Cameron to the rescue!!! What a guy! I wish I bad has a Cameron when I lost my favourite knitting bag with a baby blanket and my favourite needles SNIF. So glad you has Cameron to retrieve yours!

  18. Thanks for sharing that great story with a happy ending on this dark and drizzly night. I just donated to Cameron’s fundraising account – he should feel the universe’s power that brings all good things to those who knit (and to those who come to the aid of knitters)!

  19. My friend had saved this beautiful silk to make herself a shawl. She finally started on it and was knitting on it on the train back and forth to work. And yup. She lost it. And it’s gone. She’s checked every train, every station on the line. And it’s gone… She keeps checking, tho… hoping someone just doesn’t recognize what it is…

  20. What a great story!! Inspired me to make a donation to Cameron…..then to you too because you both deserve a little love and support. Go knitters!

  21. Cameron rocks! Donation to Cameron’s campaign: Done. (Have you seen what’s happening over on his page? He’s ahead of you in fundraising at the moment!)

  22. Hooray for Cameron!!! That he wants to learn to knit is icing on the cake, IMO.
    I lost knitting, too, but it was a finished project – a Sitcom Chic in a lavendar color (Wisteria) Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. I dropped it at Stitches East two or three years ago and checked the lost and found for two days, but it never showed up.
    I loved that sweater and I can only tell myself that it mustn’t be a knitter who kept it. A knitter would understand the work and love and pride that goes into a project. It’s great that you have yours back.

  23. Perhaps a bit of karmic balance? True friends are hard to find but treasured always; you’d have done the same if the circumstances were reversed. I’d definitely stand that man to a beer – and perhaps a pair of YH hand-knit socks in January to start the year afresh! Not to mention as a celebratory welcome to the club… Namaste,

  24. So glad Cameron found your knitting. As a thank you I made a donation on his page. Hitting yours next. The site seems to be having issues-must be all of the gratitude pledges from knitters crashing their server.

  25. I experienced the Pema Chodron “shenpa” (automatic intake of panic breath) upon reading your story. Not just socks, but CHRISTMAS socks! The force was with you. I like to think its because you truly love socks and understand how basic they are to comfort and art. Thank you for the story. It makes me happy knowing where all of my WIP socks are.

  26. Wow, way to go Cameron! I don’t know if any of my friends would go to those lengths for me, but then, not many of them get the knitting thing.

    I once left a finished mitten in the waiting room when I took my oldest son to the hospital with an ear infection. I went back the next week when I recalled that’s where I probably left it, and the nice ladies at the reception desk had it safely stashed, assuming I would return to claim it. It was a rather nice buttery yellow Cascades yarn, and the thing was cabled and really really pretty, so maybe they realized that it was not your basic crappy disposable mitten.

    But I don’t see anyone backtracking in inclement weather to retrieve my knitting. Cameron is def a hero!

  27. A true gentleman and amazing friend!
    I wish I could clone him as we need more people like him in this world. Love to Cameron!

  28. We are all fond of Cameron today. He gets what being a friend to a knitter entails.
    This act deserves knitting knighthood. Tap that man on the shoulders with your dearest dpns.
    Arise, Sir Cameron, Defender and Protector of the Knitted Stitch.
    Buy that man a pint, circulars, and hand dyed cashmere.

  29. this post read like a thriller….If Cameron is not on your gift list I think this sets you back another pair of socks that he now deserves. happy you got your project back…relief!

  30. I looked at the photo of your knitting bag and audibly gasped. I have the same bag (purchased in London so it’s very dear to me) and I left it behind in Oregon. Didn’t realize how much I miss it until I saw the photo. So glad yours wasn’t lost.

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