Mercury Moments

This is a true story!

The main character is Mercury, the planet associated with communication, learning and the gathering and dispersal of information.....even blogging! Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun, and it takes a mere 88 days to orbit our star, so it's also associated with speed and fast movement and quick wit too. Mercury is also known as "The Trickster" because like quicksilver, it can act in that way. Now read on......and spot the many Mercurial associations with speed and different forms of communication in this story!

On 22nd August 2003, my handbag was stolen in the local public library, from virtually underneath my nose. The thief, taking advantage of my handbag at my foot as I sat in a comfy armchair reading a newspaper, knocked over the chair which was behind me and, as he picked it up, he picked up my handbag as well. All I noticed and observed at the time was his scruffy appearance, his bright orange t-shirt and his unwashed smell. Minutes later, I realised my bag was gone and reported it to the staff, who immediately telephoned the police and offered me the use of the phone to cancel credit cards etc.

I later learned that the thief had been seen rummaging through a bag in the nearby churchyard, and that this was reported to the police a bare minute before the library staff reported the incident. Two squad cars rushed to the scene and chase was given through the town. The thief gave the police the slip, but from my description they strongly suspected who it was and were able to retrieve my bag and its contents, minus credit cards and the small amount of cash that I was carrying, from his home and he was duly charged the next day.

I was left with the distinct feeling that I'd been used as "bait" to help catch this thief - the police had been after this man for some time - and I felt as if I was merely a player or pawn in what was taking place.

When I got home, I took a look at the ephemeris to see just what might have been going on. The "Trickster" was definitely at work - at the time of the theft Mercury was transiting my Sun! Things happened fast - both in the public library and the surrounding locality where the chase and eventual arrest took place. And why was I in the library in the first place? To look up a phone number in one of the directories outside of my area.........