Just so you know, there are still good people in this world.

On Tuesday, Aug. 7, a friend of mine, Robbie Sturgill, drove his stepson, Tanner Martin, to Bob Linn Sporting Goods in search of some knee pads for Tanner’s football pants.

Robbie, like me, will never be nominated for any best-dressed awards. He strolled into the store wearing his favorite camouflage shorts, pants that have drawn the continual ire of his wife, Nikki, specifically because the back pockets sport holes the size of a Whopper box.

Prior to entering Bob Linn’s, Robbie grabbed his billfold from the console of his truck and absently stuffed it into his back pocket.

A few minutes later, he and Tanner left Bob Linn’s and drove to Russell, Ky, to run more errands.

Once inside a Russell establishment, Robbie had a stark realization; his wallet was missing.

Allow me to digress for a moment. On June 20, Robbie and Nikki were travelling into Ironton via State Route 93 from their Pedro residence.

They almost made it to town.

The photo of the accident that happened next was featured on the front page of The Tribune the following day. A northbound driver lost control of her vehicle, crossed lanes, and created a head-on collision. Judging solely by The Tribune photograph, it was a miracle everyone survived.

Robbie and Nikki were rushed to a local hospital. Nikki suffered internal injuries. Robbie’s left ankle was broken.

Eight days later, Robbie’s uncle, John Robert “John Cat” Markel, was killed in a single-car wreck on State Route 93.

Could anything else go wrong? Let me mention here that this couple also survived a house fire in 2004.

So, as the realization hit Robbie last Tuesday that his wallet was missing, the cast on his leg denied him the ability to dash to his vehicle and check the floor board or console. He sent Tanner running ahead of him with the keys and hobbled steadily behind.

Tanner did not find the wallet.

Robbie rushed back toward the Bob Linn parking lot where he was certain he dropped the wallet. He was also certain it had been picked up by a person lacking integrity.

Once on the lot, he found no wallet. He checked every local business in the hopes that someone had turned it in, but to no avail.

Finally, he called Nikki, who immediately broke into the chorus of the song, “I Told You So” when notified of the pants Robbie was wearing.

You have to know this couple to fully appreciate the humor I am attempting to generate with this story.

Robbie told Nikki to call the banks and put holds on the debit and credit cards. While she was frantically attempting to follow his orders, he called back and demanded the phone number for the sheriff’s department.

“Nobody turned it in, you (insert your own insulting name here),” Nikki harped.

But Robbie persisted in hopes that Good Samaritans really exist.

When he dialed the sheriff’s office and explained his purpose for calling, the dispatcher asked if he could identify his wallet, which he did in detail.

Then he heard the magical words, “It’s here.”

An elderly woman and her grandson found the wallet in Bob Linn’s parking lot and took it to authorities.

Relieved, Robbie opened his wallet to find all items intact. But the kindly lady who restored his faith in humanity left no name at the sheriff’s office.

So he called me and said, “You have to write about this so I can find out who did this for me.”

Since I have witnessed the carnage created by the black cats that always seem to run into this couple’s path, I had to acknowledge my friend’s request.

If you are that kind person, please email me at the address listed below so I can put you in touch with Robbie.

You couldn’t possibly know how much your honesty affected him.

 

Billy Bruce is a freelance writer who lives in Pedro. He can be contacted at hollandkat3@aol.com.