IKEA Man, I love you.

I went to IKEA one day with my mom to check on a few things for the both of us, and accidentally set my "Wedding Planner" notebook down as I paid for the solitary item I bought. I forgot to pick it up again, apparently. I forgot the notebook of all things righteous and holy in this world, at the check-stand.

If you're confused as to the depth of my meaning when I say, "I almost lost my wedding planner notebook!" then please, please, go talk to the IKEA Man. Either that, or imagine a time when you've felt complete, ridiculous loss, like the time your Spanish project got erased from your laptop's hard drive the day before it's due after a power surge (your mom told you to get a surge-protected power strip). All you can say is, "This isn't good."

When I returned to the store the very next day, having realized when my mom and I got home that my notebook was no where to be found (I even checked under my seats - a place I don't go often), I was directed to the Lost and Found department which sits behind the large black "Employee Only" doors. I looked around as I entered, donning the most reassuring look that I could muster for any other IKEA employees passing by. The IKEA Man I speak of sat behind a windowed wall and was wearing a reassuring suit of blue and yellow. He saw my approach and popped his head through the window asking, "How can I help ya, ma'am?"

"I'm looking for a notebook?!" I replied uncertainly. "It's gray and says, 'Wedding Planner' on the front?!"

"Ahhh, yes," IKEA Man replied. "That one's definitely here. Found it this morning."

A sigh of relief breathed through my tense limbs!

IKEA Man scanned a list back at his desk and then wheeled over in his blue IKEA chair to a substantial metal file cabinet. Searching through the multitude of cell phones, car keys, children's toys and other notebooks, he pulled out a simple spiral one, gray in color, with the words "Wedding Planner" scribbled on the front with Sharpie.

"I know just what this is all about!" IKEA Man said, as he laid the precious thing into my outstretched hands. I scanned it's cover and pulled it close. "My daughter just got married a month ago, and she did all this sorta planning, too. Can't imagine loosing your notebook!"

"I know," I said to the IKEA man, "I know! Thank you." These were the only words I could utter, but they were filled with sincere appreciation for his understanding, and gratitude for whoever hired the blessed man!

"Good luck, ma'am!" he said to me as I walked back out through the "Employee Only" labeled doors.

"A girl doesn't need luck," I thought to myself. "She just needs her notebook."