I received an unexpected call from the Medina Police Department on Thursday. My first thought was, I dont think Ive committed a crime. My second fleeting thought was, I hope my husband is okay. I took a deep breath. Calmed down. My thought: Listen to what the police officer has to say. The detective proceeded to tell me that they have a camera lens that belongs to me. I said, What?!?. A camera lens, what are you talking about?. The detective asked if I was in downtown Medina the day before his phone call. I said yes. He said there is a very expensive camera lens that was left on a park bench and a man found it and turned it over to the police department. I was stunned. Then it dawned on me that I left one of my lenses on a park bench during a senior high school portrait session. I commended the detective on good police work and he said, No, it wasnt the police department that tracked you down, it was the man who found it. I asked for the good samaritans name and number. I called the good samaritan, Ryan, and thanked him profusely! This man, Ryan, not only found my lens, but he tracked down my name through a serial number on the lens by calling Nikon, at the national level, and a local store (Dodd Camera). The woman who worked at Dodd Camera looked up the serial number and said, Oh my gosh, Kristy is one of our best customers! She gave him my phone number, which he turned over to the police. I went the next day to retrieve the lens. When I talked to Ryan, to thank him, I asked if he is a professional photographer because I figured a non-professional photographer would not have known about a serial number on the lens. Ryan said he is not a professional photographer but aspires to be one. I told him I would help him in any way I can to help him build a photography business, starting with a suggestion that he join the Akron Society of Professional Photographers group, which he did four days later. I met Ryan for the first time at this group meeting. I gave him a big bear hug. At the meeting, I got up and told this good samaritan story, and all of the photographers applauded him. My lens could have been left on that downtown bench to rot in the rain, thrown away, or pawned off for a profit. Ryan did a good deed, a detectives work, and the lens was returned to me. Now good karma is coming his way. Many photographers, including me, will help him, in establishing his new career. I have Ryan to thank. His good deed is going to change his life. There are good people in the world!
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 03:18:09 +0000