A Missed Ring

...just the way it is!

Sometime ago, during the lockdown, I had gone to the ATM to withdraw some cash and then I panicked.

After taking out the cash I realized that my wedding ring was missing. I could swear (if I were used to swearing) that I had it on my finger a few minutes ago.

You know how you get that rush of blood to the head in a moment?

That was exactly what I experienced. Before taking my turn at the machine I had spotted a weird looking man in his mid sixties or so leaning on the wall of what served as the barricade to the last ATM in a roll of five.

No, he didn't look insane or tattered. If anything, he was neatly dressed but had several rings on his fingers like dandies do. He had a few minutes ago alighted from his car (so, it appeared); a mercedes.

In that momentary confusion running through my mind, I didn't know what to do next. Could it be that the weird looking man had hypnotized me and got my ring off?

No way! I said to myself. That couldn't have been with a few people around. I assured myself.

Could my ring had slipped off into the machine as I made to collect my cash from it?

Yeah, that could be it. I said to myself. I waited a few minutes to make up my mind on what next to do. Then I did, took turn on the queue again just to run a check. Sadly, it wasn't there.

The only alternative left for me was to go home and console myself with such emotional loss for a ring that hadn't left my finger for more than five minutes since I had my nuptials.

I left for home, moodily.

But something else had happened earlier that I didn't remember while heading home...