Good things can happen in 10 seconds if you know the right questions to ask. This search was what I would call perfect. It began when I was asked by a friend of mine to keep a look out for a large set of keys he lost the week before.
We had both been working on a « Journey to Bethlehem » live production here in Yakima Washington. We had around 3700 people go through the village over four nights. His part of the production was to plan and build the sets. After the weekend was over, we received seven inches of heavy wet snow which stressed our buildings.
My friend had been using a rake to pull the snow off the roof, and when he went to go home he realized the keys he had in his pocket had fallen out. Due to the new snow he was unable to locate the keys.
I had been searching for a large silver earring that had been lost around the village, and he knew this, so he asked me to keep an eye out.
Well, I had searched the village 5 different times with my metal detector and was able to tell the nice lady who lost it « somewhere » between her home and the event, that it was not lost on the path.
My friend was there as well, working on taking the buildings down, so I decided to search for his keys next.
I asked him more questions about what he had been doing the day he lost the keys and what areas he had been working in. I thought it was logical that he must have lost it when pulling snow off the roofs and did not find it because it had been hidden by the snow.
I decided to start the search behind the buildings snow piles. I went to the first building and had been searching the piles for about three steps, when I noticed the keys laying in the melted snow pile.
It was over almost before it started. That is my fastest search to date and I will take a little luck anytime. It also helped to ask the right questions, and it was good he remembered where and what he had been doing that day.
He was glad to get the keys back, and I was glad to be a part of the search.
I usually ask so many questions before I take on a search the people must think I am crazy, but it really helps narrow the search down, and also gives me an idea if they really know with certainty in what general area they lost it. Doing a grid search takes time, and the more focused it can be, the more likely I will find it.
If you have lost an item of value, give one of The Ring Finders a call, we might just be able to help you out. Of course you will have to put up with a million questions :), but it just might be worth it.