Purple Maglite
Black Rock City: Wednesday 2005
I’m part of the Space Virgins, a Seattle theme camp situated on the Esplanade. We’ve got a 32′ geodesic dome open to the public and most nights it’s filled with folks lounging on the pillows and hanging out.
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Tuesday night I get back to camp around 2 in the morning. I head for the dome to see who’s around, but change my mind before I get there. I’m beat and ready for bed so I take a detour around the back. Dodging stakes and guidelines in the dark, my boot kicks something and I stoop to pick up a small purple Maglite flashlight. Hmmm… you don’t see purple Maglites very often. When I get to my tent, I toss the flashlight in the basket of my bike that’s parked outside and go to sleep.
The next morning I get up early and accompany some friends on an excursion. We decide to leave our bikes and walk around the city looking at art. Later we wind up in Center Camp and sit there talking for a couple hours. Around 2pm we’re hungry and have to pee but want to meet some friends at Pinkie’s for a drink. We decide to return to camp, grab some things for sandwiches then all meet up again at the porta-potties.
I had intended to drop the flashlight off at the Lost & Found in Center Camp that day, but had failed to take my bike out with me. I thought about leaving it near the whiteboard in the kitchen dome, but was on a mission. I had to pee. So I put it off til later.
I dashed past the dome at that same moment someone asks some folks inside, “Are you camped here?” They shake their heads so I stop and peak my head in to see what’s up.
This guy comes out and tells me in an Australian accent that he was hanging in our dome the night before and wanted to know if we had a Lost and Found. “This is my first year on the Playa,” he explains, “I came from Sydney without my girlfriend and she gave me a cool purple flashlight as a gift. I lost it last night and I’m really upset about it. I think it fell out of my pocket last night and I was hoping it was found here.”
I ask him if it’s a Maglight flashlight.
“Yes!” he exclaims.
“I found one out here and tossed it in my bike basket, if you come with me we can see if it’s yours.
“We’ll know if it’s mine by the batteries inside. They’re an Australian brand.”
How ws it that during the 10 minutes I was in camp that day, I was the one that crossed paths with this guy?! We opened up the bottom and removed the batteries. Sure enough, they said Made in Australia.
(Image courtesy of Matthew Freedman 2004.)