So, as I was riding my bike to work today, I'm always scanning the road ahead to avoid hazards such as glass, nails, staples etc. If you recall, I just got a flat tire last week (almost 80 bike miles ago) so I am extra careful now. Today, I happened upon a bunch of debris, like most days but this little area had some unique and identifiable items, like a smashed cell phone, the squished battery, and a leather wallet. OOOOOOHH, maybe it has a bunch of money! We didn't obviously win the millions on Powerball last night, since I actually have to go to work still.
So, I gracefully did a U turn and scooped up the wallet and took a quick glance to see if it were really worth retrieving. Upon initial inspection I saw it had a Driver's License and a couple credit cards, a workplace door scan card and a five dollar bill. So, I tucked it into one of my pannier pockets and continued on.
During the remainder of my ride I thought about how to go about getting the wallet to the owner. I hate to admit that if there had been a lot of money, I probably would have kept the cash, but for all I know it already has been pilfered and then cast aside on the road. The five bucks was kind of hidden so the original finder probably missed it. But since recent legislation the cost of getting a new driver license is very costly, approaching a hundred bucks, so I figure the owner would appreciate that back at least. The credit cards are probably cancelled already, plus they are all broken and split from being run over by trucks at the asphalt plant right there on the roadside.
Several years ago I lost my wallet. I left my wallet on the counter at Five Guys and someone took it within a few minutes. When I realized it was gone and searched around for it, it was too late. It really sucked because I had hundreds in cash, gift cards and of course my DL and credit cards. It was a hassle to get it all straightened out plus it cost me more money, plus what I lost in the wallet. So, I always like to return things I find - if I can find the owner.
So, I know the dude's phone is smashed on the side of the road so I can't call him even if I did have his phone number. And since I'm on a data diet on my smartphone, I don't check facebook anymore or email pictures or stuff that uses data. (Actually, that's another whole story - it's killin me to go from using over 1 million MB/month down to less than 1000 MB/month!!!).
So, I googled the guys name and found out he's on Facebook. Which is blocked of course - like half the internet at work. Since DH has a secret offline stand alone extra computer for espionage, I asked him to help. So I have DH log into facebook using one of my coupon fake Facebook accounts with no personal information or friends and he left a message for the owner to call our Google voice number which will forward to my phone. I wanted to leave a post and picture on the guys FB Wall so all his friends would see someone found his lost wallet and perhaps tell him to check Facebook - but he has his Wall blocked from posts. I also figured out via google this guy is married and who his wife is, and found her phone number. I can contact her further on FB when I get home and its not blocked on my computer. They live kind of close to my office and if I get in contact they can pick up the wallet from the reception guard at my workplace.
So now it's wait and see. If I hear nothing, I might take the five bucks to pay for postage to ship it to his house.
But of course, there is a lesson to be learned in this. If someone found your wallet, would they be able to contact you and return it? Is your phone number and perhaps a phone number of a friend in your wallet - in case your phone is lost too? Maybe you could even put a note in your wallet if any one finds it that they will discover with information on how to return it to you?
