How I Survived a Week Without My Wallet

My boyfriend and I landed in Washington, DC, and went straight from the airport to a late-night dinner. When the bill came, I dug through the abyss of my backpack, fumbling for the smooth leather surface of my wallet—and I came up completely empty. My wallet was gone, left in either the plane’s seat-back pocket or at the Centurion Lounge in San Francisco International Airport. Either way, I had no way to pay for this meal, and worse, any purchases during our weeklong trip.