Keep your pennies - but I'll have the pound

I've just arrived home from work on the train.

Like I'm sure almost everyone - unless you work on a Saturday or perhaps don't work at all - the Friday evening journey home is always the best because, well, it's the weekend. Pretty obvious, that one.

However, on today's Friday evening journey home, I had an extra special bonus: I found a pound, just sitting there on the seat beside me. And I did what I'm sure everyone else would do - I trousered it.

But my decision to actually pick up the coin and put it in my pocket was a much more significant moment than you probably realise since it was the first coin that I'd found and picked up in more than 10 years. I'll quickly explain.

In September 1998, Vanessa and I travelled to the United States on our first proper overseas holiday together. The plan was to fly to New York, spend a night, then train it up to Boston, then down to Washington, then across to Atlanta, then down to New Orleans (I think there's a song about that), then over to Daytona Beach and finally on to Philadelphia before ending up back in New York for our last night. And all started well - New York was great and so was Boston.

We were then due to board the service to Washington but, shortly before we got on, I found a US penny on the ground. Again, doing what people do, I picked it up and put it in my pocket - it brings you luck apparently. But sadly not in our case.

Somewhere in New Jersey, whilst both Vanessa and I were sleeping, some nice person decided to nick my bum bag (or "fanny pack," as they call it Stateside - tee hee) which - naively on my part - was filled with everything of value we had on the trip.

I speak of cash, travellers' cheques, our passports, credit and cash cards, train tickets, flight tickets and our camera. Well done Mr (or Ms) Thief.

To cut a very long story short, what happened next could have been much worse. First, when we got to the police point in Washington train station, Officer Brenda F Reveira (I'll never forget her) and her team organised a whip round to fund our $15 taxi ride to the British Embassy. It was one of the most generous and decent acts I have experienced. I then had a personal contact at the embassy who was able to lend me $500 whilst we sorted everything out. And the Ulster Unionist Party, my employers at the time and who had an office in the city, took us out for a slap up meal. So, as I say, we were very lucky.

But since that day more than a decade ago until this very evening, I refused to pick up another lost coin, whether it was lying on a road or even a train seat. Counting it up, I reckon I'm at least £2.37 down by now.

Hopefully my decision to claim that pound tonight will herald the beginning of a nice weekend and the start of a new, positive run of luck.

UPDATE - 1839: Vanessa has just announced that, earlier today, the bus driver overcharged her by £1 - so she's claimed mine. My new run of luck didn't last long.