The Wallet

Last Saturday our family was out hiking. And by hiking, we mean partly walking. Partly digging for 'bones' in the dirt. Partly nagging our kids to walk a little more quickly.

Regardless. We were out.

And we found this gorgeous wallet. Right there. In the path.  Social security card, all his credit cards, the works. Beautiful leather.

After our hike we put his address in our GPS and found his home.  I walked up to the home, as the designated wallet returner, and knocked on the door. As soon as the door opened up, the woman said, "YOU FOUND IT!"

She was in her late 50s. She was so excited! It was her husband's wallet. She immediately hugged me. Asked me to come in. Offered to buy me coffee. And then proceeded to tell me about her husband.

"He has done this before! I could kill him!" She then yelled to her daughter to call both her husband and her other daughter to call off the search.  "They are out there looking. And my husband knows he will be eaten alive if he comes back empty handed. Oh! He is having a midlife crisis. He bought a mountain bike! A mountain bike! So I told him to take some ID with him. He is 59! He should have ID! So what does he do? He takes the whole wallet! And then drops it! And this has happened before. He travels for work and once I had a policeman call me from Kansas City. My heart nearly stopped. The police? They had found his wallet. My husband was fine. Didn't even know he lost it. Oh! I could have killed him!"

And on and on. And I was just laughing because this woman obviously loved her husband but was clearly beside herself. And she was my kind of woman- the hugging kind!

She insists on getting my phone number and address. I give her both. She leaves me with the following words. " You saved our marriage! I'm not kidding! You are going to heaven!"

When I laughed she added, "Ok! You are going to heaven but not soon!"

I get back in the car and we head home. The kids are full of questions. As always. 15 minutes later, the wallet man calls. I didn't pick up because I didn't recognize the number. He leaves an equally hysterical voicemail, "Thank you. Thank you so much for your kindness. I don't know what to say. Thank you. My family thinks I'm a dumb ass. But thank you."

What a riot!

Fast forward to Wednesday. I get a card in the mail. Beautiful penmanship. And in it? 75 dollar gift certificate to Olive Garden!!? WHAT!? Are you kidding me?  I couldn't believe it.

AWESOME. Totally, totally unnecessary. We did the right thing! But so so so much appreciated!

As my father would say, "I'll be damned. How you like them apples?"