Where could it be?

I looked everywhere: the house, the car, my office. It was nowhere to be found. My cellphone charger was missing. I checked the suitcase.

Nope.

I told our daughter, three hours away, to keep an eye out for it. We had spent the weekend with our family and hoped it might turn up at their house.

Two days later, I was getting ready for a business meeting. I slipped my right foot into my loafer. I felt something in the toe. I reached in—and, to my unanticipated joy and relief, pulled out my charger. Then I remembered that, for some reason, I had curled up the cord and stuffed the charger into my shoe.

The sky was clear. The stars were bright. The air was still. It was a beautiful, serene night in the desert.

His wife was asleep. His servants were asleep. The animals were asleep. Only he was awake, stirred by a voice clear, resonant, gentle, and yet authoritative.

“Abraham!”