I received the following text, on Christmas Day , from Angelique
“Hi!! I am so sorry to bother you on Christmas Day and I do not expect you to respond! But I lost the only key to my rental car in my backyard.
I am panicked. Is there any way you are working tomorrow and could help?
Thank you so very much, and I’m sorry to bother you on Christmas Day! Like I said I don’t expect you to respond today. Merry Christmas 🎄”
I replied
“So sorry to hear this. Why do you think it’s in the backyard? Is this a key? Key Fob or both? Also, I am not at home until later tonight and I am booked, first thing tomorrow morning. Where are you located?”
Angelique replied,
It’s a fob on a key ring, and i drove it to the yard to let my dog run. When i went to get back in the car, it said “key not detected. I am in South Portland, Maine? The key was in my jacket pocket while i was in the yard with the dog. The rental company says there are no spares, and i have to drive it back to DC.”
I replied
“Ok, I can definitely get to Southportland,ME tomorrow. Possibly late morning, depending on how the first search goes. Definitely tomorrow afternoon, at the latest. I am currently up in Casco, Maine, at Our Granddaughter’s house and won’t be home until tonight.”
Angelique replied,
“I totally understand, and I am so grateful that you responded today.
I have to take my mother to the doctor’s in the morning (with her car) and will be back in South Portland by 10:30. Other than that I can make myself available ANY time that works for you. If you can give me like a 30-min heads up I would appreciate it.
I rented a metal detector and have done two passes so far, with no luck. I’m not sure it can pick it up under the snow?
So sorry to interrupt Christmas. I will wait to hear from you tomorrow!”
Angelique had lost the key fob, during the snow storm, Christmas Eve morning and hadn’t been able to find it since then, even with a rented metal detector.
So this morning, I was out the door at 6:15am, for my first search of the morning, in Falmouth Maine (more on this search, at a later date) and the cold 🥶 slapped me right in the face. When I arrived at the first search, the temperature was 5 degrees, with a wind chill of -11🥶. Thankfully I dressed accordingly and other than my toes, I was nice and toasty, the entire time.
I arrived at the home, of Angelique’s mother, but they weren’t home, from the Dr’s appointment, yet. Thankfully Angelique gave me a perfect description, of her movements, from 2 days earlier. I was also thankful the temperature was now a balmy 11 degrees, with a wind chill temperature of -1 degrees. A regular heat wave.
I decided to follow the exact movements that Angelique had done and would start on the left side of the house and follow the walkway, to the gate. If the key fob wasn’t there, I would then search the path, across the front lawn, down the right side of the house and ending up in the backyard. I turned my metal detector on and started down the left side, of the house. I hadn’t gone more than 8-10 feet when I received a very loud signal, from underneath the snow. I took my foot and pushed the snow aside and there it was, the key fob. Are you kidding me? Literally less than a minute into the search and I had found Angelique’s key fob. Angelique wouldn’t have to worry about laying out $500.00 to $1000.00 , to the rental car company, for a tow and new fob replacement. WOW, Merry Christmas and what a relief 😅. I then sent a few photos, of the key fob, to Angelique and just saying, “less than a minute, literally”. Again, less than a minute later, a very, very relieved Angelique called me and expressed her gratitude. She was just so happy, with this weight being lifted off her shoulders. Angelique knew the fob had to have been somewhere along the path or in the backyard. However, she was a little miffed that the metal detector she had rented, didn’t pick it up. I told her that if she doesn’t have any metal detecting experience and the metal detector isn’t properly set up, the odds were good that she wouldn’t find it. She had also been given an older metal detector that had none of the modern technology and it may have been going off, on everything, confusing her. As you know, I have had many, many clients, over the years either buy or rent a metal detector, to find their own lost item, only to call me later and help them out. Experience and equipment matter.
Angelique still wasn’t home, so she asked me to leave the key fob, between the doors, of the house. After taking a few selfies, of myself, with the key fob, I did just that. A few hours later, Angelique messaged me
“THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! Just got them!!!!! I know!!! That was ruining my Christmas! Insane they don’t have a reasonable option for when they are lost and only have a single key. I will send you a pic of me with the keys soon, to use wherever! Use it everywhere! Would literally give you my kidney. Please put that in the story.”
WOW, Angelique is one happy woman and although I wasn’t able to meet her, I’m sure she is smiling. I know I am smiling. So thankfully, another key fob, back in the pocket and what could have been a very expensive car rental, has been resolved. I love helping others out, in their time of needs. Here is wishing Angelique a safe trip back home, to Visit Washington DC.. I truly have the best job in the world. 😀❤️🙏
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