This afternoon I was hunting a youth football/soccer field and little did I know that before my day would end, I would find the most precious treasure money could buy with my Minelab CTX 3030.
I was near the end of my hunt when I noticed a short elderly man approaching from across the field. I stopped and greeted him and he asks, “Will that thing find a class ring?” I answered his questions and then he told me his story.
Three days ago he noticed his class ring was missing; his grandmother bought it for him for graduation in 1954. He described the ring to me and said, “I was working in my yard and fell over my wheelbarrow onto the sidewalk and when I got up I noticed my ring was missing.” Last year he had both knees replaced and had difficulty breathing. He could hardly tell me his story because he’d broken a rib when he fell.
Finally, I asked him if he would like for me to go look for his ring. “Oh I couldn’t ask you to do that for me, but if you would be so kind I would be happy to pay you for your troubles.” Of course I couldn’t take his money, but I followed him to his humble little house and he showed me where he had fallen; I searched the area thoroughly but came up with nothing.
He told me the day before he and another man was cutting debris off the community church grounds, but he was sure he had the ring when he fell. I insisted we go to the church and reluctantly he agreed but he knew it wasn’t there.
At the church, I could see where they had used the chainsaw and after only two minutes of hunting I got 11/25 signal. I said, “Sir, if I find your ring I only ask you permission to take a picture. Would that be alright?” “Sure he said” and after a few seconds he asked, “Did you find my ring?” I said, “I believe it is there just at the end of my toe.”
I missed the greatest picture of all, which was the expression on the old man’s face but I have it planted in my memory forever. With tears in his eyes, I thought he was going to hug me or even worse, kiss me. It was the greatest moment this metal detectorist could ever experience in this hobby.
Only the rim of the ring was showing, it had been stepped on and pushed into the ground but I reached down and dug it out handed it to the 78 year old man and he cried. It was the most precious thing to him, a gift parents couldn’t afford but his grandmother bought it for $20 and gave it to him for graduating from high school.
Holy cow, I’m getting all choked up just telling my story. He said he was going to take the pictures and his story to the local newspaper if they would publish it. He was not a church going man himself but through tears he asks me, “Do you mind if I say a prayer of thanksgiving?” After he prayed, we departed with a handshake.
Here is the most precious treasure of all.
Don - VA, USA
