So this is a very different Recovery and Return for me. No one called me, I didn’t have a metal detector and the owner didn’t even know, he had lost his item, a wallet.
My elderly mother no longer drives and Cheryl and I take her grocery shopping and to her Dr’s appointments. This morning, my mother had a dermatologist appointment, in Biddeford. I picked her up, from her home, in Saco, Maine and drove her to the appointment, in Biddeford, Maine. When we arrived, I was walking around the rear of the vehicle, to open the car door for her, when I saw a wallet, standing up, on its sides. It was just 2 parking spots over from us and as I approached, I could see some cash and some cards. I put the wallet in my inside coat pocket and helped my mother, towards the door, to the Dr’s office. Other cars were coming in and within a minute, before we were even in the door, to the Dr’s, someone parked where the wallet was. One minute later and I would never have seen the wallet.
Once checked in, I opened the wallet, looking for identification and or a phone number. No phone number was found but the drivers license belonged to a John B******. John’s address was in Saco and I knew where the street was. If John did’t walk into the Dr’s office, I would simply drive the wallet to John, after driving my mother home. His address is only 6-7 miles, from my house, in Saco. As I am sitting in the waiting room, I figured I could do a little internet sleuthing and see if I could find a phone number. I did find a landline number for John, at that address but when I called, it had been disconnected. I then tried Facebook and I found John’s Facebook profile, sending him the following message
“Hi John, My name is Dennis Boothby and I have a Facebook Page, The Ring Finders of Maine. I have found a wallet, in Biddeford and I believe it is yours. Could you please call me I am currently still in Biddeford, while my mother is having a procedure done. Thank you, Dennis” I also sent John a photo of my Rack Business Card, with my photo, so he wouldn’t think this was a scam.
I just wanted John to know his wallet had been found and didn’t want him to be out looking for it and worrying. Once my mother was done, at the dermatologist , I drove her home and then Cheryl and I drove out to John’s home. Once at John’s home, John’s wife, Mel answered the door, looked at me and said, “You look awfully familiar.” I then handed Mel my business card and introduced myself. Mel then says “Oh my gosh, Yes, I follow you and your stories.” Mel then told me John wasn’t home and that he had gone to their church, to help with something. I then asked Mel if John had lost his wallet. She told me that she hadn’t heard he had but would call him and ask. I then pulled out John’s wallet and Mel said that it was John’s wallet and then placed the call to John. The conversation went something like this, “Hi Honey, do you have your wallet?” John replied that yes he had taken his wallet with him. Mel then told John that I had found his wallet and that she was actually holding it. I believe John was stunned for a second, most likely checking his pockets, before saying that he didn’t have it and that he had put his wallet, in his hat, while at the Dr’s office. John surmises the wallet must have fallen out of his hat, as he was about to get in his car. John then thanked me, over the phone and was extremely kind, with his words to me. Mel was also very thankful and asked me for a hug. Mel also told me how lucky they were that I had found the wallet because if someone else had found it, the ending may have been entirely different. I would hope that anyone would have done the right thing and returned the wallet. So, a very different type of return but the gratification was the same. Although I wasn’t able to meet John, I am sure he was smiling, as Mel told him his wallet was safe and sound, at home. I know Mel, Cheryl and myself had big smiles on our faces. I love doing this for others and have the best job in the world.😀❤️🙏
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