Big Bank Feeder
01-17-2005, 02:08 AM
The world has lost and found and sent me a lesson on
Integrity and Honesty
In September of 2004, I fished a favorite stretch of the Salt River near Thayne, Wyoming. I enjoyed a few hours catching fish on a wonderful fall day. Upon exiting the river, where I was just three feet from the bank and dry ground, I slipped and fell, in a swift and shallow currant. I use a Patagonia fishing fanny pack and at the time, was unzipped thus exposing all possessions to the same current I fell in. Quickly, I found myself back on my feet with all my possessions except for two fly boxes, which I usually have individually tethered to my pack. I was saddened, wet and angry. I estimated that between my two fly boxes, 200 hand tied flies were lost forever.
On Christmas morning 2004, I opened a gift from “Santa Clause”. Inside the wrapped box was a mail envelope dated the second of December 2004 from Thayne, Wyoming. I opened the pouch and found my two fly boxes. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A business card was included inside. The card was from Sharen Trefren who is co-owner of The Hitching Rail in Thayne. She said, “a customer found your fly boxes floating in the river & turned them in to our store. Thought you would like them back”. My wife had received the mail the second day of December while I was at work, and had kept them to surprise me on Christmas morning. She called Sharen the day she received the mail, and thanked her for sending, on her expense, a gift that money couldn’t buy… honesty and integrity.
Amazingly, both boxes were found together & returned. They were never connected. One barely had legible, identification information on it that I forgot was there, the other didn’t.
The box that had my identification information was identified because approximately in 2002, a solicitation came to me from Fishy Pete’s fly club (www.fishypete.com). This club based in Atlanta, offered to send free fly fishing flies. I took them up on their offer, I wanted to see the quality of flies so, I sent away for the free flies. A few days later, four nice quality flies came addressed to me in the mail, in a nice 4” x 3” plastic box. I retrofitted the box to hold more than four flies. Thus, becoming one of the two boxes that were lost and found. The address was barely legible. An address label can only take so much water and sun before fading and deteriorating away.
I thank the person who did the right thing by returning all my flies--196 to be exact. Who, quite possibly, found themselves with an unexpected treasure. Whoever you are, you are a decent and respectable human being. I thank Sharen and that she forwarded them on to me. I also thank the postmaster for delivering the package to the correct zip code of 84010 even though it was address 64010.
My boxes are now tethered to my pack & I have since caught fish on my handcrafted flies.
As you can see a few things had to happen in order for me to use my own flies--again. I am most thankful and happy they did.
Sincerely,
Big Bank Feeder
Integrity and Honesty
In September of 2004, I fished a favorite stretch of the Salt River near Thayne, Wyoming. I enjoyed a few hours catching fish on a wonderful fall day. Upon exiting the river, where I was just three feet from the bank and dry ground, I slipped and fell, in a swift and shallow currant. I use a Patagonia fishing fanny pack and at the time, was unzipped thus exposing all possessions to the same current I fell in. Quickly, I found myself back on my feet with all my possessions except for two fly boxes, which I usually have individually tethered to my pack. I was saddened, wet and angry. I estimated that between my two fly boxes, 200 hand tied flies were lost forever.
On Christmas morning 2004, I opened a gift from “Santa Clause”. Inside the wrapped box was a mail envelope dated the second of December 2004 from Thayne, Wyoming. I opened the pouch and found my two fly boxes. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A business card was included inside. The card was from Sharen Trefren who is co-owner of The Hitching Rail in Thayne. She said, “a customer found your fly boxes floating in the river & turned them in to our store. Thought you would like them back”. My wife had received the mail the second day of December while I was at work, and had kept them to surprise me on Christmas morning. She called Sharen the day she received the mail, and thanked her for sending, on her expense, a gift that money couldn’t buy… honesty and integrity.
Amazingly, both boxes were found together & returned. They were never connected. One barely had legible, identification information on it that I forgot was there, the other didn’t.
The box that had my identification information was identified because approximately in 2002, a solicitation came to me from Fishy Pete’s fly club (www.fishypete.com). This club based in Atlanta, offered to send free fly fishing flies. I took them up on their offer, I wanted to see the quality of flies so, I sent away for the free flies. A few days later, four nice quality flies came addressed to me in the mail, in a nice 4” x 3” plastic box. I retrofitted the box to hold more than four flies. Thus, becoming one of the two boxes that were lost and found. The address was barely legible. An address label can only take so much water and sun before fading and deteriorating away.
I thank the person who did the right thing by returning all my flies--196 to be exact. Who, quite possibly, found themselves with an unexpected treasure. Whoever you are, you are a decent and respectable human being. I thank Sharen and that she forwarded them on to me. I also thank the postmaster for delivering the package to the correct zip code of 84010 even though it was address 64010.
My boxes are now tethered to my pack & I have since caught fish on my handcrafted flies.
As you can see a few things had to happen in order for me to use my own flies--again. I am most thankful and happy they did.
Sincerely,
Big Bank Feeder