A CAN OF NYLONS ANYONE?

Only two instances when we've traveled across the pond have we ever encountered thieves. We almost had a third in Panama City recently. And it involved hosiery.

Once in Berlin a bodyguard of our Governor was pick pocketed by two obviously stupid teenage girls. He retrieved his wallet.

Once in Poland at night a pair tried to team up to distract and swipe a purse from a good friend of ours. They failed, too.

In a Panama City airport, we were awaiting boarding a flight to Santiago, Chile, last month. I had to wear support hose since I was fewer than 10 days removed from some leg surgeries. I wasn't able to keep them up.

So I was pulling on them because they had dropped below my knees. Rear end up in the air, I was tugging at the hose drooping on my left leg, exposing my wallet in my left pocket. Every time I would pull them up, my jeans would push them down. Evidently a pick pocket thought he would seize the moment. But I felt his presence near, popped up, and he left quickly before trying to pry my wallet.

I looked for him. Nowhere Man as The Beatles sang. There were only two gates nearby and he wasn't close to either. I figure he saw my aerial view, left the walkway, thought he'd snatch, nearly got caught, and vammanosed out of there.

So I'm glad I had my radar up. I'm also glad my nylons didn't come in a can. When I would take them off, how would I ever get them back in there?