On a recent trip to Old Town San Diego, I pulled into a parking space and spotted something brown, flat, and rectangular shaped on the pavement. I was about to walk away when I realized it was leather and picked it up. To my surprise, it was a wallet. Circling around the lot by foot, I tried to see if anyone was looking for it. Being the only person there, I opened it with a mixture of emotions. Not only did I feel like I was violating this person’s privacy, but I also worried that someone might think I was a thief. Practicality ruled and when I saw cash, credit cards, and a driver’s license, I knew this wallet had fallen out of someone’s purse.
I took the wallet with me to the restaurant where I was meeting my family for lunch. We tried to figure out how to find the owner, Amy. Every woman who came into the restaurant became a potential Amy as I tried to match each face with the photo on Amy’s license. My daughter suggested using Facebook to reach her. Although we did find her there, since we weren’t connected, she didn’t get my message.
After lunch I talked to a few information-type folks throughout the park, but no one had yet reported a missing wallet. Somehow, calling the police didn’t seem a good idea either. Hours had gone by and my urgency to find Amy increased. Using the detective part of my brain, I decided to search the online white pages. I did have to sign up with Spokeo, it only cost a buck*, and Booyah!, I had Amy’s cell phone number. We texted and talked and I found out Amy (from the Bay area) was in town visiting family and dropped her wallet getting out of her car while managing her kids. A mom thing I could understand. She was so happy that I found her wallet, thanked me profusely, and we made plans to meet the next morning to get it back.
My family and I were enjoying a staycation in Coronado. Amy drove to the restaurant where we had breakfast. She had the morning off from her kids and thanked me for staying in Coronado where she’d done some yoga and planned on getting some coffee and relaxing on the beach. So much positive energy from this woman. We laughed about what a good idea it would be to have your phone number somewhere in your wallet in case this happened again. When it came time to say goodbye, we exchanged hugs and she gave me a plate of brownies she made as a thank you. But better than her delicious brownies were the words in her last text to me, “Thanks for being a kind human.”
Amy, glad I found you.
*If you ever have to use Spokeo, make sure to cancel the service within seven days so you don’t get a monthly fee.
