Fwd: And Hannah NR

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In a message dated 10/27/98 1:28:48 PM Central Standard Time, Chattr2000

writes:

<< Dont know if this is a true story, but it's very touching....

CarpeDiem:

The Wallet

Submitted by: Teri

Author: Unknown

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

" letter that told the recipient, whose name appeared to be ,

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

, 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 . "

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 Connery, the

actor. "

" Yes, " she continued. " 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 ... "

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. "

" 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 , 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.

said softly, almost in a whisper, " Hannah, it's . Do you

remember me? "

She gasped, " ! I don't believe it! ! It's you! My

! " 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? 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. 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.