If you lose things often, you may get upset when get asked where you saw or had the lost item last. Of course, if you knew exactly, your search would be over. But try to think of the question as a hint to your hunt.

I couldn’t find my reading glasses this morning. Luckily, I have a separate pair for distance, so I could put those on for a change. They haven’t had much use lately anyway, so I knew they were in their case in my purse. But at home, I have been living in my reading glasses, so literally changing focus was a shock.

I started looking all over the apartment for them, in the usual places and the not-so-usual, remembering Sir Arthur Conan Doyle‘s best problem-solving rule, “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

But the “however improbable” spots weren’t working. I did find some interesting things under the couch, at great cost to my knees, but my glasses were still gone.

But then that expression about “where I had them last” came back to mind, and I tidied up the pile of books beside my alarm clock. (It’s not beside my bed, purposely, but beside my armchair.) I thought of the many times I’ve taken off my glasses after reading and gone to bed. Yes, the book pile had to be where I had them last. That was worth another look.

I evidently gave my alarm clock the usual stumbling treatment this morning, because the pile was a mess despite being only four books high.

I looked down, under the table that holds the pile and the one next to it that holds my record player. The cords for it, the TV and lamp are all in a strip of outlets. There, amid the tangle of black and gray cords, I spotted some different gray lines — the frames of my reading glasses. They must have fallen off the table when I was reaching for the clock early this morning.

So “Where did you have them last?” can be just as valuable as “When you have eliminated the impossible,” etc. — a big admission for me, of course.

Now, on with the day’s reading and writing.

Margaret Serious has a page on Facebook. It’s easy to find, unlike some things.

What will I find to write about next? Or what will I lose? Subscribe, and you won’t miss anything! Type your e-mail address in the box and click the “create subscription” button. My list is completely spam-free, and you can opt out at any time.