The Wallet ( Archived) (15)

Feb 18, 2009 11:51 PM CST The Wallet
dcj22
dcj22dcj22Somewhere, Tennessee USA102 Threads 3 Polls 11,581 Posts
== THE WALLET ==

A Very Touching Love Story




As I walked home one freezing day, I stumbled on a wallet someone had lost
in the street. I picked it up and looked inside to find some identification so I
could call the owner. But the wallet contained only three dollars and a crumpled
letter that looked as if it had been in there for years.

The envelope was worn and the only thing that was legible on it was the return
address. I started to open the letter, hoping to find some clue. Then I saw the
dateline--1924. The letter had been written almost sixty years ago.

It was written in a beautiful feminine handwriting on powder blue stationery with
a little flower in the left-hand corner. It was a "Dear John" letter that told the
recipient, whose name appeared to be Michael, that the writer could not see him
any more because her mother forbade it. Even so, she wrote that she would
always love him.

It was signed, Hannah.

It was a beautiful letter, but there was no way except for the name Michael, that
the owner could be identified. Maybe if I called information, the operator could
find a phone listing for the address on the envelope.

"Operator," I began, "this is an unusual request. I'm trying to find the owner
of a wallet that I found. Is there anyway you can tell me if there is a phone
number for an address that was on an envelope in the wallet?"

She suggested I speak with her supervisor, who hesitated for a moment then said,
"Well, there is a phone listing at that address, but I can't give you the number."
She said, as a courtesy, she would call that number, explain my story and would
ask them if they wanted her to connect me. I waited a few minutes and then she
was back on the line. "I have a party who will speak with you."

I asked the woman on the other end of the line if she knew anyone by the name
of Hannah. She gasped, "Oh! We bought this house from a family who had a
daughter named Hannah. But that was 30 years ago!"

"Would you know where that family could be located now?" I asked.

"I remember that Hannah had to place her mother in a nursing home some years
ago," the woman said. "Maybe if you got in touch with them they might be able
to track down the daughter."

She gave me the name of the nursing home and I called the number. They told
me the old lady had passed away some years ago but they did have a phone
number for where they thought the daughter might be living.

I thanked them and phoned. The woman who answered explained that Hannah
herself was now living in a nursing home.

This whole thing was stupid, I thought to myself. Why was I making such a
big deal over finding the owner of a wallet that had only three dollars and a
letter that was almost 60 years old?

Nevertheless, I called the nursing home in which Hannah was supposed to
be living and the man who answered the phone told me, "Yes, Hannah is
staying with us."

Even though it was already 10 p.m., I asked if I could come by to see her.

"Well," he said hesitatingly, "if you want to take a chance, she might be in
the day room watching television."

I thanked him and drove over to the nursing home. The night nurse and a
guard greeted me at the door. We went up to the third floor of the large
building.

In the day room, the nurse introduced me to Hannah.

She was a sweet, silver-haired old timer with a warm smile and a twinkle
in her eye.

I told her about finding the wallet and showed her the letter. The second she
saw the powder blue envelope with that little flower on the left, she took a
deep breath and said, "Young man, this letter was the last contact I
ever had with Michael."

She looked away for a moment deep in thought and then said softly, "I loved
him very much. But I was only 16 at the time and my mother felt I was too
young. Oh, he was so handsome. He looked like Sean Connery, the actor."
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 18, 2009 11:53 PM CST The Wallet
dcj22
dcj22dcj22Somewhere, Tennessee USA102 Threads 3 Polls 11,581 Posts
"Yes," she continued. "Michael Goldstein was a wonderful person. If you should
find him, tell him I think of him often. And," she hesitated for a moment, almost
biting her lip, "tell him I still love him. You know," she said smiling as tears
began to well up in her eyes, "I never did marry. I guess no one ever matched up
to Michael...."

I thanked Hannah and said goodbye. I took the elevator to the first floor
and as I stood by the door, the guard there asked, "Was the old lady able to
help you?"

I told him she had given me a lead. "At least I have a last name. But I think
I'll let it go for a while. I spent almost the whole day trying to find the
owner of this wallet."

I had taken out the wallet, which was a simple brown leather case with red
lacing on the side. When the guard saw it, he said, "Hey, wait a minute!

That's Mr. Goldstein's wallet. I'd know it anywhere with that right red
lacing. He's always losing that wallet. I must have found it in the halls at
least three times."

"Who's Mr. Goldstein?" I asked as my hand began to shake.

"He's one of the old timers on the 8th floor. That's Mike Goldstein's
wallet for sure. He must have lost it on one of his walks."

I thanked the guard and quickly ran back to the nurse's office. I told her
what the guard had said. We went back to the elevator and got on. I prayed
that Mr. Goldstein would be up.

On the eighth floor, the floor nurse said, "I think he's still in the day
room. He likes to read at night. He's a darling old man."

We went to the only room that had any lights on and there was a man reading
a book. The nurse went over to him and asked if he had lost his wallet.

Mr. Goldstein looked up with surprise, put his hand in his back pocket and said,
"Oh, it is missing!"

"This kind gentleman found a wallet and we wondered if it could be yours?"

I handed Mr. Goldstein the wallet and the second he saw it, he smiled with
relief and said, "Yes, that's it! It must have dropped out of my pocket this
afternoon. I want to give you a reward."

"No, thank you," I said. "But I have to tell you something. I read the
letter in the hope of finding out who owned the wallet."

The smile on his face suddenly disappeared. "You read that letter?"

"Not only did I read it, I think I know where Hannah is."

He suddenly grew pale. "Hannah? You know where she is? How is she? Is she
still as pretty as she was? Please, please tell me," he begged.

"She's fine...just as pretty as when you knew her." I said softly.

The old man smiled with anticipation and asked, "Could you tell me where she
is? I want to call her tomorrow." He grabbed my hand and said, "You know
something, mister, I was so in love with that girl that when that letter came,
my life literally ended. I never married. I guess I've always loved her."
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 18, 2009 11:53 PM CST The Wallet
dcj22
dcj22dcj22Somewhere, Tennessee USA102 Threads 3 Polls 11,581 Posts
"Mr. Goldstein," I said, "Come with me."

We took the elevator down to the third floor. The hallways were darkened and
only one or two little night-lights lit our way to the day room where Hannah
was sitting alone watching the television. The nurse walked over to her.

"Hannah," she said softly, pointing to Michael, who was waiting with me in
the doorway. "Do you know this man?"

She adjusted her glasses, looked for a moment, but didn't say a word.

Michael said softly, almost in a whisper, "Hannah, it's Michael. Do you
remember me?"

She gasped, "Michael! I don't believe it! Michael! It's you! My Michael!" He
walked slowly towards her and they embraced. The nurse and I left with tears
streaming down our faces.

"See," I said. "See how the Good Lord works! If it's meant to be, it will be."

About three weeks later I got a call at my office from the nursing home.

"Can you break away on Sunday to attend a wedding? Michael and Hannah are
going to tie the knot!"

It was a beautiful wedding with all the people at the nursing home dressed
up to join in the celebration. Hannah wore a light beige dress and looked
beautiful. Michael wore a dark blue suit and stood tall. They made me their
best man.

The hospital gave them their own room and if you ever wanted to see a
76-year-old bride and a 79-year-old groom acting like two teenagers, you had
to see this couple.

A perfect ending for a love affair that had lasted nearly 60 years
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 19, 2009 12:19 AM CST The Wallet
Da10th
Da10thDa10thThree Springs, Pennsylvania USA17 Threads 2,744 Posts
Amazing!
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 19, 2009 12:29 AM CST The Wallet
Hugz_n_Kissez
Hugz_n_KissezHugz_n_KissezSomeplace, Ontario Canada59 Threads 2 Polls 25,438 Posts
crying crying crying



WOW...the power of real love...it never fails...smitten
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 19, 2009 12:43 AM CST The Wallet
mylifewithu
mylifewithumylifewithuSpringfield, Missouri USA174 Threads 23,670 Posts
AAAAH That is a sweet story very inspirational.hug applause applause
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 19, 2009 12:47 AM CST The Wallet
Da10th
Da10thDa10thThree Springs, Pennsylvania USA17 Threads 2,744 Posts
99% of the time I don't read super long posts, but this was worth the read.
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 19, 2009 12:48 AM CST The Wallet
mbcasey
mbcaseymbcaseyNorth Myrtle Beach, South Carolina USA68 Threads 7 Polls 16,449 Posts
Beautiful...thanks for sharing Dana....hug
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 19, 2009 12:48 AM CST The Wallet
Hugz_n_Kissez
Hugz_n_KissezHugz_n_KissezSomeplace, Ontario Canada59 Threads 2 Polls 25,438 Posts
Da10th: 99% of the time I don't read super long posts, but this was worth the read.



It was...it's beautiful and what real love is all about...hug kiss hug heart beating crying
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 19, 2009 12:55 AM CST The Wallet
dcj22
dcj22dcj22Somewhere, Tennessee USA102 Threads 3 Polls 11,581 Posts
Sweet, isn't it?
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 19, 2009 12:55 AM CST The Wallet
mylifewithu
mylifewithumylifewithuSpringfield, Missouri USA174 Threads 23,670 Posts
dcj22: Sweet, isn't it?
Yes it is , real love lasts forever.professor heart beating
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 19, 2009 12:56 AM CST The Wallet
Hugz_n_Kissez
Hugz_n_KissezHugz_n_KissezSomeplace, Ontario Canada59 Threads 2 Polls 25,438 Posts
dcj22: Sweet, isn't it?



Yes it is...I am a sap for a good love story...kiss hug heart beating smitten crying
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 19, 2009 12:56 AM CST The Wallet
Mercedes1
Mercedes1Mercedes1Sydney, New South Wales Australia101 Threads 1 Polls 3,764 Posts
Their must be so many similar love stories like this one!
Thats true loveheart wings
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 19, 2009 11:03 AM CST The Wallet
samanthasang
samanthasangsamanthasangLivingston, New Jersey USA8 Threads 51 Posts
Beautiful. Reminds me of the movie "The Notebook"
------ This thread is Archived ------
Feb 19, 2009 12:57 PM CST The Wallet
vinny1967
vinny1967vinny1967Dublin, Cork Ireland131 Threads 7 Polls 11,475 Posts
Beautiful Dana................wine
------ This thread is Archived ------
Post Comment - Post a comment on this Forum Thread

This Thread is Archived

This Thread is archived, so you will no longer be able to post to it. Threads get archived automatically when they are older than 3 months.

« Go back to All Threads
Message #318

Stats for this Thread

649 Views
14 Comments
by dcj22 (102 Threads)
Created: Feb 2009
Last Viewed: Mar 21
Last Commented: Feb 2009

Share this Thread

We use cookies to ensure that you have the best experience possible on our website. Read Our Privacy Policy Here