In the end, my wife was assisted by a stranger who quickly turned into a friend. In true Irish fashion, they speculated as to whether they were related during their trip up to Dublin to catch the flight home. I, too, benefited from the kindness of strangers, namely customer service representatives, and managed to get home days later by deadheading on one of our company's aircraft on a ferry flight to an airport relatively close to home and then having a friend fetch me and finally deposit me at my front door. The financial damage of the stolen credit cards was kept to a minimum thanks to the aggressive security screening by the credit card companies themselves and by my prompt reporting of their disappearance.

The consequences of the identity theft could have been worse, and yes, my experience has made me more attentive to the need for identity theft protection. Websites for vendors that provide identity theft protection contain further advice on how to protect oneself from this growing crime. Criminals have become resourceful in their ways to gain access to our identity information.

In the meantime, if anyone has sugges–tions as to how a husband can redeem himself after stranding his wife in a foreign country late at night without any means of support, please send them my way. You've got my name and know where to find me. Thanks. BCA