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Lessons I learned.

Three weeks ago I travelled north to Queensland and over nighted in a motel at the border town of Goondiwindi. In the morning I packed the ute and placed the carry case containing my computer, camera and Patsy’s tablet on the tray with intention of placing it on the top of my luggage I was still packing in the rear cabin. Well I drove off and didn’t give it a thought and it wasn’t until I arrived at my destination did I realise it was missing. It had fallen off or being stolen, probably the former.
I expected it to be in Goondiwindi and had an advertisement placed in the local newspaper and on local radio. My wife’s niece Bernie placed a help notice in the local Facebook. I have faith in people and expected it to be found and returned. I was both right and wrong. Yes, Bernie received a call from the finder/thief and asking for some $2,200 for its return. I knew I was cornered and just had to pay this extorsion money. Eventually the amount Bernie negotiated was $800 and at Checkpoint Charlie where the exchange took place, not all items were returned. This was not surprising because the extortionist was from a group of mixed blood people in Australia who are disproportionally in government care from children through to adults. (However I still have faith in humanity’s goodwill.)
I had the persons name, Crystal (surname withheld) and I joined Facebook to send her a message. I was reasonably polite but I did say if the remainder of the items weren’t returned in 36 hours I’d go to the police. Well Facebook replied to say I was expelled for my message was not in line with community standards. Banned after my first ever use of this facility.
Why am I telling you this? Well I learned some lessons from it and maybe they could be of value to you too. My computer had a password, just a garden variety one and thus my computer was of little use to this extortionist/thief. The stick-on badge had been removed so it was the intention of Crystal’s to keep it. Only when the password stopped her she realised it was of no use to her. My wife’s tablet was rehashed because it had no password to prevent entry. Lesson, use a password to open your devise. Secondly I didn’t have my name or address on the carry case or items. That has now changed. Thirdly, I will travel with a tablet not my valuable computer. Fourthly, back up to the cloud or a keep, at home, a hard external drive.

The good news to conclude with is; I don’t have to go to my son who gave me this computer, and confess. And of course I can read this forum and continue to write my stories.