Posted By: Richard in N.O. - Tuesday, 19 August 2003, at 11:00 p.m.

...and the people who do it.

Last week a friend I hadn't seen in years called my company and left a message. He wanted to rent a detector, not realizing I was the owner of the company. When I called back he was stunned. He explained he was looking for a long lost high school ring.I told him I would not rent him a detector but I would certainly let him borrow one.

Since he knew absolutely nothing about metal detectors or how to use one, I invited him over after work for some hands on lessons, with the X-5. I explained to him that our ethical code compelled us to help folks find long lost sentimental items and that if he had no luck on friday I would spend sunday with him until we found the ring...so off he went.

I was going to write a story about what followed but Brod is an award winning writer and children's poet and nothing I could have written would have matched the words that flowed from his heart. He sent me this note to go with the pictures of the hunt.

Here is the medallion Brod mentioned in the story. His mother carried it for years on her key ring.Finding it was a pretty emotional moment.

Here is the Jesuit High School Ring after 35 years in the ground. It was just a few feet from where he remembered setting it down.

Here is a shot of one happy guy with his ring and the X-5 he used to find it.Pretty remarkable machine, that a first time user can get a few minutes of instruction and then find family treasures that have been lost for years. I would have liked to have found the ring for him, but Brod finding it was so much better.

Here is the ring again and a first place swimming medal he won at camp when he was a teenager. I found it in a the same hole with a lot of pennies.

And finally Brod and I aftre the great adventure.It took us less than an hour sunday to find his ring, then we went to celebrate with his family over a big homemade breakfast.