Wednesday, October 19, 2011

In the mail the other day...

Bills and flyers are pretty much the only thing we get in our mailbox.  We don't even get the free local paper.  It seems like they can't get a carrier in this area to deliver.  However, on Tuesday, I take in the mail to find a white envelope addressed "To Whom it May Concern".  

At first I thought it was one of those "Singles in your area" advertisements!  hahahaaa!  I really wasn't even gonig to open it.  When I was flicking through all of the other flyers that came in the mail, the back of the envelope flopped open.  It hadn't been sealed.

I opened it up to find a hand written note on a small piece of yellow paper.  This is what I read, "Hi:  My name is Merle O******** and I was brought up in this house.  Would love to go through it again.  When I was 6, I lost my baby ring in the basement.  I know exactly where it is, just that it could not be retrieved as you would have to demolish things around it.  My phone number is *** *** ****"  And an arrow to indicate to flip the yellow piece of paper.  It continued, "Excuse writing:  and it would make a gread story, it's been 58 years since I lost it!  I'm from Waterloo.  I would love for you to call me, as I have heard that the place maight be torn down.  My twin siser & I had identical rings, since she has passed away, I would love to get mine back.  B"

58 years later?  We've lived here for 16 years.  We've heard a little about the family that built it.  I wasn't sure I even wanted to call the person back.  I told Vince that I'd like to wait a couple of days before I called - if I called.  

That night at supper the phone rang.  Yup... it was her!  She got my phone number from my neighbour.  She knew all about the strange things that we found on the floor when we lifted the carpets and tiles.  She knew about the fountain in the floor.  She told us things that we already knew about the man that built our house.  She also gave details about her family that we had heard from neighbours that knew of the family.  So, I guess she was legitimate.  :)  She proceeded to tell us that she is a snow bird and was leaving for Florida but would be back.  Would it be all right if she stopped in to see our place - her place - and bring her granddaughter as well.  Of course, it would be all right.  

There's something really special about going back to your home that you grew up in, isn't there?  I know that when the house that I grew up in on Hamilton Street was up for sale a few years ago, I just had to go.  I wanted to see my bedroom.  Things seemed so much bigger then as I walked up the staircase.  I always thought our top landing could have been big enough to land a small aircraft.  Apparently, though, it isn't!  I hope she isn't disappointed when she comes through.

It would make a great story, eh?  58 years later, finding a lost ring in a wall?

2 comments:

  1. It sounds like a great story to me.

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  2. Just another thing u should document with photos and post on the blog.

    Love ya mom

    Greg Krauss

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