say "thank you" (or not)?

monday the 1^st of october, around 4:30pm, cafe Nero outside liverpool street station. it’s one of those times that you don’t exactly know how to react. i am having my coffee at café Nero and smoking outside. at some point i felt cold (one of those rainy london afternoons) and went inside to continue drinking my coffee and read my book. in doing that, i forgot my umbrella on the seat outside the café. and yes, this is the one umbrella i get paranoid about and am always cautious not to lose or forget somewhere.

after about 20 minutes and a couple of chapters of william burroughs, i suddenly remember about the umbrella. i rush outside and start looking for it, but don’t see it anywhere. then I realise there’s a couple sitting at the table where i previously was, run to them and ask the guy whether he’s seen an umbrella around.

the guy smiles, and says: “actually, I have”. he opens his backpack and hands me my umbrella back [!!!]. NB these people both saw me stand up and go inside, just when they arrived at the café, so they know the umbrella was mine when they took it!

iI smiled back in disbelief, and actually said “thank you” before leaving! it’s a strange one, what do you do? they stole it from me, but actually gave it back when I asked for it!