I often use the sentence 

to explain the usage of 

"have" as in:

   I had my passport stolen 

   at the airport.

But before I heard a story 

from one of my friends, 

I thought there would be 

hardly anyone 

who has had 

his or her passport stolen.

Well I was wrong. 

One of my friends 

actually had her passport stolen.

According to her 

it was during 

her 'graduation celebrating' 

trip in England. 

She was about to 

fly to Paris as a finale 

of her trip in England 

and part of Europe. 

She was talking 

to her friend (also Japanese) 

in the middle of Victoria Station 

in London. 

Victoria Station is a kind of 

big station where 

long-distance, intercity trains 

depart to somewhere 

remote in England from London. 

And she was saying 

good-bye to the friend, 

who was supposed to leave 

England earlier. 

She talked to the friend 

about thirty minutes or so. 

And according to her, 

she had put her bag 

at her foot and 

the bag was open 

with her passport and 

tralveler's cheque on top of that. 

(Well, I couldn't believe 

that there would be 

anyone who dared to do 

that kind of blunder! 

But actually she did that.)

When she finally said 

good-bye to that person 

and looked down at her foot 

to hold the bag, 

yes, no wonder, 

the bag was gone.  

She was of course upset, 

very upset, and cried 

while making a phone call 

to her mother in Japan. 

She was advised to go to 

the Japanese embassy 

and asked for 

a temporary passport 

to go back to Japan 

without dropping by Paris. 

She sounded 

as if she couldn't believe 

what had happened to her 

when she later told me 

the story. 

But to me, 

it was her foolishness 

that I couldn't believe. 

I wouldn't dream 

that anyone could be 

so naive to leave precious things 

at one's foot  

unattended for thirty minutes 

in a crowded London station! 

Every time I teach 

the usage of 'have', 

I never forget to talk 

about her experience. 

Perhaps my cats would be 

even more cautious than her!