A MADagascar Afternoon

I lost my gym bag, all 10 lbs of it or thereabouts with 2 credit cards, 4 ATM cards, around 800 pesos, gym wear, Adidas water jug, and get this, my 20 gig iPod. And it was just literally seated beside me in SM Megamall Cinema 12.
Al and I were watching Madagascar. We were locked in embrace (Don’t ask why.), my back to my bag. There was nobody else seated in our row. There was a family seated behind us with kids and a man who I guess was in his 40s (It was dark. Hey. Cinema!?!). He was our suspect.
The movie was so funny you can just imagine how focused we were. Al was laughing like crazy and I was, well, I was busy.  Anyway, towards three-fourths of the film, the man started coughing mad. He was such a distraction but we didn’t mind. I noticed him transfer to the last seat on our row towards the inside aisle. He was still coughing. I didn’t think anything strange really. I didn’t feel any cause for alarm. There was a flurry of activities on the row behind us because of the kids. Right before the movie ends, I checked on my bag and it wasn’t there. And there was nobody seated on the row behind us anymore. Darn!
The loss wasn’t that bad really. I could apply for ID and card replacements. Hell, I could buy another iPod! On the contrary, I consider the experience priceless. There was something to be had from it. Aside from the obvious lessons (be careful with my belongings blah, blah, blah), it reminded me how it feels to be with Al. It felt so right. Despite how things turned out between us, what I felt during that afternoon made everything we’ve been through all worth it. If there is any loss I should feel bad about, it’s not my bag and what’s in it. It’s Al, my one and only baby.