I have a necklace with huge sentimental value. I've worn it every day for decades, and (I appreciate this is ridiculous) have over the years credited with lucky powers.
Today I went for the salon for a treatment ahead of upcoming family event. This is a very rare occasion for me - have been maybe 3 times in my life, but wanted to give haggered self a little boost/confidence for this event.
I nearly left necklace on, but took it off at last minute and left it on top of my bundle of removed clothes in a box. These were then popped on a shelf just outside treatment room. It's a room at the back of the salon, so not a thoroughfare where other customers would be.
Once done (10 mins), got dressed, stuffed remaining clothes in bag, paid and left. Before I got the at max. 400 meters home, I realised I wasn't wearing the necklace. Once home, bag was meticulously emptied in hallway, before realising it wasn't there. Immediately, I returned to salon, checking on pavement as I did so, but assuming it had pinged off onto floor unnoticed while I was getting dressed, and I'd soon be reunited.
The staff hadn't seen it and helped me look for it. Hunted everwhere in treatment room and exit route, and no sign. Then retraced steps again, and went home to triple check bag/entrance way - no sign. My partner has since been back and had a proper look under all the furniture - staff have been super helpful.
Given there's no sign in salon, or bag, only assumption is it somehow became attached to my clothing, before falling off somewhere between salon and home. But I'm not wearing anything 'catchy' so it just feels so unlikely anything would have stayed 'caught' in the 5 mins I was dressed and paying. It's a fairly busy road so someone could have spotted it in the 10 mins it took to get home and back, but again, what are the chances :
a. it was attached to me
b. fell off not immediately but after leaving salon
c. someone saw it
d. they picked it up and pocketed it (I've posted in local groups just in case)
I cannot think that anyone working in a salon would risk their job for something like this. Far more valuable things must be left in these baskets multiple times a day. I don't suspect anyone I met there of taking it, but at a loss as to where it can be.
I'm completely devastated. It's only a necklace and worthless to anyone else, but it's irreplaceable to me and I can't believe I've lost it in this way. Worst of all, superstitious me can now all I can think of is the multiple things I want good luck for (operations, kids exams, the world, plus the family event I wanted the confidence boost for in the first place!) and I don't have my talisman!
AIBU to be this upset, and also, where's my necklace?!