Post: #1

This story isn't a joke -- in 1944, a 15 year-old boy lost his wallet and got it returned to him in 2016 at age 85:

Quote:NEVADA , Iowa, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- The owner of an Iowa comedy club managed to reunite a 71-year-old wallet with its owner after it was found stuck in the club's rafters.

Larry Sloan, owner of the Talent Factory Theater in Nevada, discovered the wallet while making renovations to the theater which was built in 1928.

"It was plastic, so the first thing that came to my mind is this must be a child's wallet," Sloan told KCCI. "I had no idea how old it would be."

The wallet contained several worn out photos as well as a pocket calendar dated 1944 and one clue that gave Sloan some insight into the owner's identity.

"I was really shocked to find a hand-written ID card. It indicated the owner was Clare McIntosh of Colo. In case of emergency, to contact Mrs. R.E. McIntosh of Colo," he told the Ames Tribune. "And his telephone number was 8. I get a kick out of that every time I say it."

Sloan, used his skills as a former investigator to track down McIntosh in order to return the wallet that had been missing since McIntosh was 15.

McIntosh, 85, initially thought the call was a joke, but eventually met up with Sloan and confirmed that the wallet was indeed his.

"Clare said, 'I haven't lost my wallet,'" Sloan said. "But when I asked him if he had lost one long ago, he asked me if the one I found was plastic. A plastic wallet was a very special thing at that time."

That is one spry looking octogenarian

Seriously though, what a day that had to be for Clare. The world has definitely changed since the '40's. Handwritten identification cards with people listing their phone number as "8." Plastic wallets, teenagers in comedy clubs and guys actually keeping black and white photos of family with them everywhere. If he had a five spot in his wallet he could have taken him and his girl out to dinner back then, now five bucks couldn't even get him a happy meal for his granddaughter. . .

As an aside, I had a somewhat similar find a few summers ago. My dad and I were moving some furniture at a relatives house. We had to move this massive oak desk -- a real thick bugger that weighed like it was made of solid stone. We had it moved to the corner of basement when I decided to rifle through the drawers. I found a repository of receipts in the top drawer -- a whole bunch of paper-thin strips neatly folded together. They were all from the 1910's, over a century old. The paper was slightly yellowed and the ink a little faded, but it was still very much legible. Apparently whomever owned the desk ran some sort of embroidery service and kept detailed receipts of all the transactions. Another time, indeed.

Anyways, ya'll ever find something of yours from a long time ago that you had forgotten? Other thoughts?

Post: #2

A single digit phone number. Wow.

Post: #3

Yes he looks to be in good shape for a 85 year old.

Not sure how he does it, but if people learn to eat well and exercise; it's possible.

Post: #4

Did the phone number still work?

Post: #5

Great story.

I remember getting emotional in the Leica museum in the exhibit where they displayed all the found cameras, some images and their stories.

One particular story, about an airman in WW2 that took a bullet to the Leica, which saved his life but ended up in a field where it was found in the 90's. There were some great photos on the camera of war life including pics of his buddies and some local girls enjoying some relaxing days off. There were a few of one girl in particular, who he ended up marrying after the war and were still together when they were tracked down to give them the camera and photos.

Post: #6

Good feelgood story. We need that after all the shit that happens in this world

Post: #7

(02-24-2016 11:48 PM)Suits Wrote:  Did the phone number still work?

Probably would go a little something like this:

Post: #8

I lost my own wallet a few years ago. This story gives me hope that I'll see that wallet again sometime in the 2080s. Wonder if the $100 that was in that wallet will still be there, and if so, how much $100 will actually be worth by that time...

Post: #9

Great thread. Thanks for sharing.

Post: #10

(02-24-2016 10:39 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  A single digit phone number. Wow.

When I was a kid, I had a phone number that ended with "0000". Everyone that I've ever given it to thought that my family must belong to some big shot like a general or an industrialist.
Unfortunately, I moved before I've ever gotten the opportunity to use it as a game bait.

Post: #11

Didn't think this deserved its own thread, but a nice story to hear around Christmas --



A Wyoming man reunited with his class ring after almost a half century:

Quote:POWELL, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming man has been reunited with his high school class ring more than 45 years after he threw it as far as he could in a fit of teen rage.

Mike Peyton says he's flabbergasted to get the ring back after losing it so long ago.

The Powell Tribune reports that a man with a metal detector found the 1968 Powell High School ring inscribed with Peyton's initials. The man's wife and a family friend tracked down Peyton's mother, who surprised her son with the ring a couple weeks ago.

Peyton says his girlfriend at the time was wearing the ring when they broke up in the early 1970s. He says he can laugh now about how he'd taken the ring and flung it away.

That's gotta be one hell of a Christmas -- I can only imagine what it would be like to be reunited with such an emotionally-charged item from your youth. Maybe in 40 years somebody will return my first PS1 or my first copy of The Three Musketeers

Post: #12

(02-24-2016 10:39 PM)Quintus Curtius Wrote:  A single digit phone number. Wow.

(02-24-2016 11:48 PM)Suits Wrote:  Did the phone number still work?

Post: #13

Quote:...after it was found stuck in the club's rafters...

My first house was built in 1912. After some water damage I had to tear out one of the upstairs ceilings, and laying beside one of the rafters was a small tin condom box (empty) which would otherwise have been lost to the ages. It's in nice condition, too.