Sometimes Gary and I are ever so lucky. Yesterday we drove to the Tampa area to take some of my work to a gallery. Everyone calls the Tampa area, the bay area. When I first heard that I immediately thought of the San Francisco bay area, but now I know. The area we went to had a quaint brick lined alley and parking lot on the next street. I was driving because Gary doesn't like to drive in cities. Gary got out of the car to look for the exact location of the rear entrance while I drove around the block.
Gary had had his wallet out on the seat when we paid the tolls on the way down there. When Gary got out of the car his wallet dropped out and he didn't notice it and neither did I. After we got to the gallery and got my work unloaded and cataloged, he noticed his wallet was missing. He had $400 in cash, his social security card, a credit card, his VA card, and lots of other important information in there. We really could not afford to loose any money, let alone the hassle of possible identity theft.
As Gary left the gallery to go look for his wallet, I didn't figure there was a snowballs chance, in you know where, of getting his wallet back. I tried not to freak out, luckily I didn't, I guess I was just numb. Gary ran back to the alley where I had stopped the car and his wallet was gone of course.
As Gary walked along he looked in the gutters and dumpsters to see if he saw his discarded wallet. He went in four businesses and asked if anyone had turned in a wallet and no one had. Finally there was a cafe and he went in there and asked about his wallet. The clerk said yes a guy found it and just left but he put his phone number on the bulletin board over there. Gary got the number and then came back to the gallery to get the cell phone in our car. He called the guy and the guy agreed to meet Gary in five minutes in the same alley.
The guy rode up on his motorcycle with Gary's wallet and everything in it. The guy's name was Paul. I can't believe our luck, we are ever so lucky. Apparently there is a race horse named Ever so Lucky. If I was a betting person I'd place my bets today, because I'm feeling ever so lucky. Paul if you're reading this, you don't know how much getting that wallet back means to us. Paul wouldn't take a reward from Gary, but I plan to call Paul and send him a piece of pottery as a thank you.
Recent circumstances have really wiped both of us out and yesterday's potential loss just added fuel to the fire. Gary was worn out from the adrenalin racing through his blood stream. I have bruises everywhere it seems, but I'm slowly recovering from my fall (see previous post for the details). Photos are of more new pottery fresh out of the kiln. The top plate is a native Florida fern plate with a close up next. The others are native beautyberry leaf dishes from the last firing. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.
Hello Linda:
ReplyDeleteWe are so relieved to read that Gary's wallet and its contents were returned to you in tact. This really does restore one's faith in the kindness of certain people and Paul was certainly a knight in shining armour on this particular day. We are sure that he would be thrilled to receive the gift of a piece of pottery from you!
You have been having a hard time recently and, with your fall, you must be running low on energy. We do so hope that sales of your work will be good and that your fortunes may be turning for the better. Your hard work certainly deserves a reward.
Hi Jane and Lance, thanks ever so much for your kind words and thoughts, I am so lucky to have good words, thoughts, and actions of people like you both and Paul in my life, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteIt's really frightening to lose one's wallet. Even without a thought about money (and who can afford not to think about money?) we still carry so much stuff that we can't lose in our wallets. Paul is really a good guy to have returned it, in tact, nothing missing. You are so lucky he's the one that found it. He's got lots of good karma for that :-)
ReplyDeleteI've heard that sometimes when people find a lost wallet they will put it in the mail box hoping that it will be delivered to the address on the ID card.
Hi Lori, thanks, we are tremendously lucky he was the one that found the wallet. When he gave it to Gary he was so worried for us and wanted to get it back to us so quickly due to the fact he knew we were worried. Yep he needs a lot of good karma for that and somehow we had good karma for something we have done in the past. What goes around, comes around, as they say.
ReplyDeleteVery touching post, Lori. Glad things are moving in a positive direction for you all now. Lovely plates!
ReplyDeleteLosing one's wallet can turn into a nightmare. I'm so glad his was returned quickly and intact.
ReplyDeleteI just read this morning of your fall. Be careful of those wheels falling off the carts. Life seems full of metaphors.
May you have many sales in your new space.
So sorry, Linda, about calling you Lori. My mind ...what can I say? I do enjoy your posts!
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara, thanks, yes I must slow down and think positively for sure. Ha.
ReplyDeleteHi Teresa, thanks, yes life is definitely full of metaphors, hoping the new location is super.
Hi Barbara, thanks, my mind and my body, no problem, ha.
ReplyDeleteLike I said earlier LInda, Enchanted! This was one of those moments. Those moments are the ones to hang on to. Thank the universe for good folks like Paul.
ReplyDeleteLovely pieces, congrats on getting into another gallery.
Wonderful post---to lose a wallet and regain hope in the kindness of strangers! Thank goodness for people like Paul and I know in my heart---there are plenty of them out there! Also, congrats in getting into this gallery. I used to live in Tampa and remember it being called the Bay Area. I lived on Davis Island when my husband was stationed at MacDill AFB. We seemed to have crossed paths! Best wishes in selling some pieces, too!
ReplyDeleteHappy endings do happen. Good pots too!
ReplyDeleteso glad Gary's wallet was recovered quickly, it's such a sick feeling to think of losing the cash and possibly your identity. tell Gary to leave his social security card at home... if it got in the wrong hands a thief could easily become him!
ReplyDeleteIt's always good to hear that there are good people in this world, we too often hear the negative. YAY for Paul!
What an amazing trip. I'm so happy for you.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Elna
There are so many Paul's in the world. So glad you have one.
ReplyDeleteExcellent idea to send him a piece of your work. That's even better than a monitary award. :D
ReplyDeleteI was so pleased to have you stop by my blog again. Have a lovely weekend!
I love when someone does something that restores your faith in mankind! I'm glad you found a "good guy" in your travels and that you were able to get Gary's wallet back.
ReplyDeleteTake it easy, you never realize how much healing from bad bruises takes out of you.
Linda, Ouch! I have just read your previous post, I can imagine that awful pain. Do you have any arnica - we use horse strength arnica - it works for us.
ReplyDeleteI am so very pleased that things turned out well with Gary and the wallet. Paul is a truly good man. Thinking of you.
Well it sure seemed that you were in a boils and sores period which is always unpleasant. However Paul turned that around for you. What a special guy he is and I think the pottery gift is a great idea.
ReplyDeleteOuch! Getting hit in the shins really hurts. I hope you heal quickly. Maybe you need to slow down a little bit and take a breath. It's always such a relief to find a kind soul who does the right thing to help others.
ReplyDeletean true act of kindness- thank goodness! And Linda! I hope you heal up soon and quick!
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara, thanks, yes this was one of those moments, got to hold on to them for sure.
ReplyDeleteHi Charlene, thanks, first time I heard the Bay Area I was confused; I used to live in San Francisco in the mid 70s and the East Bay after that so the term was ingrained into my brain; it is funny how folks can cross paths in unusual ways and then there are the virtual paths.
Hi Suzi, thanks, yes happy ending, thank goodness.
Hi Michele, thanks, oh you have no idea of the sick feeling, like I said above Gary came in and said we have a problem and then he said his wallet was missing and it was like it didn't sink into my brain, my brain didn't want to admit it was true. Yeah I quit carrying my social security card and didn't realize he was carrying his, he's taken out his card and credit card now.
Hi Elna, thanks, wasn't it amazing, still can't believe it.
ReplyDeleteHi Joanne, thanks, yes so many Paul's but it has seemed there are too many of the not so Paul's so glad we found a Paul.
Hi Michelle, thanks, yes I think the pottery is a good idea, and much better than a monetary award.
ReplyDeleteHi Julia, thanks, yes I could use a lot of restoring lately that's for sure. The healing has taken a lot out of me, I have found more and more bruises all over my body some on my arms and who knows where else.
Hi Elaine, thanks, I am unfamiliar with amica, I will look into that and thanks for that tip. My Gary may be able to use it for his arthritis in his thumb.
Hi Patti, thanks, these things do seem to go in spurts, don't they hopefully things are staying changed around.
Hi Ms. Sparrow, thanks, yes I was thinking the same thing, I was trying to get too much done all in one day and now I am forced to slow down.
Hi Meredith, thanks, true kindness for sure, slowly but surely getting better.
Good for Paul.
ReplyDeleteThe golden rule isn't called that for nothing.
Glad it turned out ok.
I got a wallet sniched in Philadelphia and the police mailed me an empty wallet except for my driver's license.
Friends of ours were in Spain. The pickpockets took the wallet out of the wife's purse, took all the money and put her wallet in her husband's pocket, all without our friends recognizing what happened until after they got out of the subway.
Hi Joe, thanks, now that is a true pick pocket in Spain, ugh. I told my Gary he needs a chain drive wallet like the truckers have, but he said he's not that much of a redneck to have one of those. Ha.
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