# When you can't find something...what's that called?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-cant-find-something-whats-that-called/308546>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 16, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-cant-find-something-whats-that-called/308546 "2005-06-16T15:07:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-cant-find-something-whats-that-called/308546/21 "2005-06-17T21:37:59Z")

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Anyone spend time looking for something and fail to find it, decide it really is lost and go out and buy a replacement- and then find the original?  
I can’t be the only one.

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**Author:** ![Wearia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Wearia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wearia)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-cant-find-something-whats-that-called/308546/22 "2005-06-17T21:51:01Z")

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> [@ltfire](#):
>
> Ya know what the strangest thing is, what you are searching for will ALWAYS be in the last place you look. 😃

…Holy crap, I finally understand that line.

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**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-cant-find-something-whats-that-called/308546/23 "2005-06-17T22:19:25Z")

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> [@Vetch](#):
>
> Anyone spend time looking for something and fail to find it, decide it really is lost and go out and buy a replacement- and then find the original?  
> I can’t be the only one.

Oh yes indeedy. :smack:

Most recently I did that with my credit card. I 'phoned to cancel it and felt I really had better try to explain to the lady on the “lost/stolen cards” line why I didn’t sound especialy worried or upset - i.e. was absolutely sure it was in my house, merely hiding after a recent tidying up, and putting it in a “safe place” and I just knew it would reappear as soon as I had cancelled it, and arranged for a replacement. I think she thought I was a bit silly, but I was _right_, dammit.

I have several cheap small calculators, due to the same problem.  
Pens and cigarette lighters are quite evil and do this a lot too.

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**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-cant-find-something-whats-that-called/308546/24 "2005-06-17T22:22:01Z")

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If it was a snake it woulda bit chew! Heh.

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**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-you-cant-find-something-whats-that-called/308546/25 "2005-06-18T03:07:27Z")

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Oh, yep, I have this a bit. I call it a Funkocularatory Deception.

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