The lost wallet, a great love story! | Motivational Stories
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The lost wallet, a great 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 60 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 anymore 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 oldtimer 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.”

“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 bright 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 oldtimers 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.”

“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.

Author Unknown
Story was submitted by visitor: Taurus Queen
“…dateline–1924… 60 years…”: This story was probably written close to 30 years ago.Β 

{ 105 comments… add one }
  • freezing July 31, 2023, 10:04 pm

    It was adapted to a test question in China,which is difficult but moved.

  • Beverley Lawrence October 31, 2021, 12:42 pm

    What a wonderful story I am a romantic so it appealed to me and so happy they found each other no matter how much time they had left they had each at last….

  • irene January 26, 2021, 1:13 am

    my goodness! it’s a lovely storyπŸ˜―πŸ˜ŠπŸ‘©πŸ»β€πŸ€β€πŸ§‘πŸ½

    • shiera Mae Montalban May 3, 2021, 11:51 pm

      a beautiful love story ! amazing God Lead the Way in the very end,…

  • Joshua May 15, 2020, 2:35 am

    Its really the best love story I ever known.
    True love knows no boundaries,distances or time lap.It will always find it way back to the right soulmate
    Hope mine also comes along❀

  • fr. Johon M. Ray May 9, 2020, 5:41 am

    Wonderful! Thanks. Can I translate it in my own language Bengali as I am from Bangladesh?

    • Stephen May 13, 2020, 8:18 pm

      Please feel free to. Take care!

  • Geleta April 29, 2020, 1:47 pm

    amazing and it’s great idon’t wanna to say anything about this love history.thanks

  • Marie January 31, 2020, 12:38 am

    What a nice love story indeed! Well maybe there’s always a perfect time for everything. If your really destined with each other,God will find a way even if its taking too long.:)

  • Chelle June 24, 2016, 10:13 am

    Love begets love..
    Very lovely story,

  • Erica July 2, 2015, 9:27 pm

    I love the story very much.. I’ve realize how powerful love is.. thanks for the inspirational story.

  • Egide April 29, 2015, 5:54 pm

    Woooooooow!!

  • Rowena Lavendia April 9, 2015, 5:43 am

    It’s an amazing love story that it almost make me cry. Indeed God make his own way to put them together and reunite the feelings they have for a decade, because for God nothing is impossible.

  • musa Hussein January 18, 2015, 4:43 am

    I love it………..…………………β™₯β™₯β™₯

  • jkupini January 9, 2015, 10:41 pm

    The True Love.

  • Mushtaq Ahmed Zubairi June 18, 2014, 1:23 am

    True love never dies.

  • Okanga April 23, 2014, 3:44 am

    The law of universe….. the love we once shared will always find a way back to us…..

  • Neha April 21, 2014, 11:27 am

    Nice one…..!!! Thanks for sharing.
    I love happy endings.Tell immediately to whom you love.
    what will happen if Micheal didn’t lost his wallet!!!
    if you love truly someone, u should have courage at that time…..n it’s true….LOVE never ends……!!! :):):)

    • Sandeep April 22, 2014, 11:22 am

      If Micheal didn’t lose his wallet….there must have been any other way, because the Almighty decides to unite them….that’s why God is Great!!

  • SANDEEP April 18, 2014, 12:34 pm

    Nice Story…!! Someone said Its never too late. God is Great u never know how he can change things in ur favor. True love do not demand anything. Its just giving…..not asking!!

  • Mark March 20, 2014, 11:45 pm

    I wonder if this is considered public domain because I’d love to script and film this as a short.
    Not commercially but as a tribute to the parties involved.
    What do you guys think?

  • Nayoking February 20, 2014, 5:13 am

    I love it

  • Jean February 18, 2014, 8:54 am

    Great story! I’m in tears after reading this story, I have the same feeling as Hannah. If isn’t the ‘One I truly love’ I’d better be alone, keeping him in my heart, seeing his eyes thru mine really gives me enough happiness all day.. and that’s it, all I can say is True Love Never ends..

  • Ashish January 26, 2014, 9:14 am

    It’s amazing….

  • Bobo December 30, 2013, 5:06 am

    It’s a touching, lovely story… Can’t stop crying…

  • Vinod chauhan November 23, 2013, 4:42 am

    What a story! It is a really good story. It tells that we should tell immediately to whom we love we should not wait. I am still crying…

  • Mariel October 20, 2013, 11:32 pm

    This story is really great!! It makes me realize to be patient in waiting for my one true love. I don’t wanna be in haste now. I will wait for your right time GOD!!!

  • Swathi N Sakhare September 24, 2013, 3:08 am

    Awesome story.. It shows love never dies…….

  • Balaji.T September 22, 2013, 2:58 pm

    It’s really an inspiring story for the people those who love truly. I just loved the way Michael & Hanna loved. Tears rolls while reading it. Now a days people does’t know what is true love? Dedicating this to all True lovers.

  • Rita September 13, 2013, 5:33 pm

    It really an inspiring story however this story goes for me due to the challenges I am facing in my relationship and I know if we are meant to be like Hannah and Michael we will surely come together once again so shall it be amen.

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