Hats Off to Egged (Drivers)

Did I say something about hats not finding their way home by themselves?

What was I thinking?!

Ferster Hats, the most popular hatseller in Yerushalayim, offers to make up labels that display the name and phone number of the owner to put on the sweatband. This is a very prudent idea because, I don't know if anybody else noticed this, many black hats look alike.

Now, I did not really give up on my hat. As soon as I realized that I forgot it - when I noticed that I wasn't sweating as much as I should be - I ran back to the bus depot at Har Chotzvim (it's a good thing I work there) and tried to find the bus. The bus was gone so I went to a supervisor who told me as follows:

It takes 3 days for them to gather up all the forgotton items on their bus fleet and to sort them out. Then they are brought to their lost and found center at the main Tachana Hamercazit (much more convenient than their previous one in Talpiot!) and I can try to find it then. Good luck!

Thanks.

Well, that was Tuesday and I have been counting the days (Today is day 1 of sefiras HaKova...) and, lo and behold, I get a call from the bus driver (he wears a knitted kipa, incidentally). He said that he didn't want to give in the hat to Egged because he thinks that I will never see it again. He is not based in Yerushalayim but he will be here tomorrow (Day 2 of Sefiras HaKova) when he does a run on the 950 line to Raanana. He will be here from 7:30 pm and his bus goes out at 7:55 so I will have this 25 minute window to reclaim my precious crown.

How will this drama end? Will I make the dropoff or am I headed for another trip to Ferster? Will some lucky Jew in Raanana turn chareidi (perhaps the driver ;-) )?

Hang on to your hats!