When I got back early from vacation because my wife Karen got sick, all I wanted to do was rest. But an unexpected find in our backyard changed my plans: a huge, mysterious pit.
“What the hell?” As I looked into the hole, I whispered to myself.
At the bottom, there was a shovel, a water bottle, and other junk. At first, I thought about calling the cops, but then I had an idea. What if the person in charge thought we were still not there and planned to come back?
“Let’s park the car in the garage and act like we’re not back yet,” I told Karen, who looked clearly sick.
“Sure, Frank,” she said in a weak voice. I need to take a break.
As darkness fell over our house, I stood by a window and watched. After several hours of unsuccessful attempts, a figure jumped over our fence and crept up to the pit.
As the invader went down into the hole, my heart beat faster. I quietly walked up to them with my phone ready, seizing the moment.
“Hey!” I yelled, and the light from my phone shone into the pit. “What do you have planned?”
The intruder looked up and had to squint because it was so bright. To my surprise, it was George, the former owner.
He was just as shocked and asked, “Frank?” “Why are you here?”
“Remember that this is now my home?” In the middle of the night, why are you digging in my yard?”
George climbed out, and he looked ashamed. “Let me explain before you call the police,” I said.
I shook my head and folded my arms. “Go on.”
George took a big breath. “This house used to belong to my grandfather.” I just learned that he may have buried something important here. I planned to get it while you were away.
“You broke the law to look for treasure?” I was shocked and asked.
George said, “It sounds crazy.” “But listen to me. Please help me look. If we find anything, we’ll each get half of it.
A part of me wanted to say no and just call the police. But when I looked into his eyes and saw how sincere and desperate they were, I paused.
I said, “All right.” “But we’ll fix up the yard when we’re done, find or no find.”
George felt better and nodded. “I agree.”
We dug for hours and told each other about our lives. “Why are we looking for anything at all?” I asked because I was interested.
“Anything worth having.” It could be money or jewelry… “My grandfather didn’t trust banks,” George said.
As we dug, George told us more about his problems, like how he had just lost his job and his wife was sick, and how he thought that finding this “treasure” might help them.
“I get it,” I replied, feeling a connection form between us over our shared goal. “Life throws challenges at you out of the blue.”
“That’s right,” George said, his eyes showing a hint of hope.
We kept digging and talking as the night went on. George thought back to how his grandfather didn’t trust banks or the government, which made him believe in secret riches.
“You thought these stories were true?” I asked.
“At first, no.” “But then I found his journal with notes and a map that showed where we were digging,” George said.
We were more excited when we thought about what might be hidden. “Rare items and gold coins?” George made guesses, but he did say that any find, no matter how small, would be good.
As dawn got closer without a finding, sadness set in. I told him, “It was worth a shot,” and offered to drive him home.
When we got to George’s, his worried wife Margaret met us. She said she was sorry for the noise because George’s acts made her feel bad. Even though she said she was sorry, I told her she didn’t need to pay and suggested that the dig might be useful for installing a pool in the future.
Margaret liked the joke, and as I was leaving, George thanked me, implying that we might become friends in the future.
As I drove home, I wasn’t feeling better because I had found wealth, but because I had made a new connection with George. That connection reminded me of how valuable human relationships really are.
Karen, who was getting better at home, listened to my story and was both amused and moved by the unexpected turn of events.
As I was already making plans to fix up the yard, I said, “Maybe we should invite George and Margaret to dinner.”
As I looked at our messed-up garden during the day, I was reminded that the real gifts in life aren’t always buried in the ground, but in the people we meet and the things we do together.
What would you have done if you were me?
Please say what you think.