Just a nice "true" story.

[Stig(The)]

Read this & just thought "what a great story" 

It was the usual warm summer afternoon when my wife and I loaded the kids in the minivan, and headed for a local park for a short excursion. My kids love to go there to feed the ducks in the pond while I partake in my favorite hobby, metal detecting.

That day, my Dad was going to meet us there. I always enjoy the times that we go out detecting together, and he must as well, because he keeps putting up with me. When Dad showed up, we got out the detectors, and powered them up. We donned our headphones, pouches, trowels, and probes, and off we swung our way across the large inner city Park to find treasure.

We hadn’t been detecting for long (and our empty pouches proved it), when we noticed we had captured the attention of four young kids. They too, had come to the park with their Mother to enjoy the nice afternoon. From a distance, they watched as Dad and myself swung those odd sticks to and fro, only stopping to kneel down and start digging. We noticed the kids made their way to us, and stood quietly for at least a couple seconds before the usual, "Hey, Mister, what are you looking for?" popped out of one of their mouths.

When we told them we were mostly looking for money, the curiosities peaked. They followed us to each excavation, helping dig when we determined that "X" marked the spot. I think the kids had more fun helping dig in the holes than they would have, had they actually found something (which for the most part, we didn’t).

I noticed that my Dad was being followed by the oldest of the group, and he was staying right at the heels of Dads feet. Dad knelt down to dig, and his little shadow followed suit. If you could have only seen the look on that young kid’s face when Dad dug a silver ring. It was priceless! He acted as if Dad had just dug up a treasure chest full of gold and silver right there at Vander Veer Park! Needless to say, we all really enjoyed ourselves that day, but the story doesn’t quite end there.

Today, I visited my favorite Chinese restaurant for lunch with a couple fellow employees. When the waitress seated us, I recognized her as the Mother of the kids we had met at the park that day. So, out of the blue, I blurted out, "So, has your boy been bugging you for a metal detector?" She looked at me as if I was psychic, and asked, "Why yes, how did you know that?" I explained to her that it was my Dad and myself that were detecting at the park when her kids were there playing.

After she realized I was indeed one of the two guys from the park, she went on to tell me about her son’s excitement about metal detecting. Apparently, after that day, he bugged her about getting his own "money stick" until she finally gave in. His birthday present this summer was a brand new metal detector! She says he is having a ball with that thing.

Now, I don’t know about everyone else, but hearing that from her was better than any "treasure" we could have dug that day. It is really a good feeling to know that you, in less than an hour, influenced the life of a child in a positive way. I feel confident that, whatever that boy is digging up right now, he is still thinking about that coveted ring he saw that guy at Vander Veer Park dig up right in front of his eyes.

[Tafflaff (Rob)]

Ahhh now thats a nice story , really encapsulates the real meaning behind this great hobby.

[DIGGA]

AHHH WHAT A NICE STORY  ITS FUNNY  HOW YOU CAN INFLUANCE PEOPLE ,,,,   I HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE  WHILST DETECTING  THE OTHER WEEK  A BUNCH OF KIDS   KEPT STOPPING  ME ASKING ,,,, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR PIRATES TREASURE ?   IS THERE GOLD  IN THE EARTH      WHAT  DOES THIS BUTTON  DO  ,,,,,  WHAT  DOES  THAT  BUTTON  DO         WHAT  DOES THAT NOISE MEAN    ETC  ETC        ,,,,,,,,,,,  AFTER ABOUT  AN HOUR OF QUESTIONS  I SIMPLY  SMACKED THEM OVER THE HEAD WITH  MY  SHOVEL ,,,,,THEN THEY LEFT ,,,,,,,,,,,, SORTED  ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,  WAAAAAAA

[rjm]

Lovely story!

When my middle boy was about 8 he used to come with me and I'd have trouble
avoiding his head as I dug the hole...his hand would be down there grabbing for
the coins. I used to let him keep the money we found.

He's now 23 and a couple of months ago rang me saying he wanted to go detecting.

It seems once you've got the bug it never leaves you.

[rjm]

Millsy Your Lucky !!!!!!!!!! ....................My wife thinks I'm mad detecting. She's absolutely no interest whatsoever.

Even when I find something nice like a Hammered coin or Roman brooch she falls asleep.

Just guess I'll leave her to read her romantic novels!!  Ha ha ha ha