The recent ad in the lost-and-found section of The Forum's classifieds read, "Lost: 2 family heirloom embroidered samplers. 11x14 red frames. Lost near Michael's craft store. Reward. (218) 532-2113."
That phone number will get you Marilyn Pfau.
Finding those samplers will get you both a reward and Marilyn's heartfelt thanks.
The samplers, you see, were embroidered by her grandmother and mean much to Marilyn, of Pelican Rapids, Minn., and her family.
So Marilyn took them to Michael's craft store in Fargo to be framed.
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Then came that wonderful day - one month ago, on June 12 - when she went back to Michael's to pick them up.
Carin Noriega, manager of the custom framing department of Michael's, showed her the newly framed samplers, then wrapped them separately in brown paper.
Marilyn carried the two wrapped samplers to her car while Carin helped by carrying three other heavy frames.
It's this point in the story which makes Marilyn feel a bit sheepish.
The car was locked, so Marilyn put the samplers on top of the car while she fished out her keys. She unlocked the car, then went around to the other side to unlock the door for Carin.
And then Marilyn drove blissfully off - with those precious samplers still on top of the car.
She thought of it before long, stopped and checked, but, of course, the packages were gone.
Heartsick over losing them, she ran the ad. "Each day when the phone rings," she says, "I hope it will be some good Samaritan with a happy reply to my ad." But so far, that call hasn't come.
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Marilyn says she's of an age "when anything 'family' is more meaningful." She says she's hopeful someone found the samplers, kept them and will get them to her "even if the samplers were run over."
She told Carin that if she lived in some parts of the country, she'd give up. But she believes people in this area are more caring, more willing to do kind deeds for other people, so she's not giving up hope she'll get the samplers back.
So there you are. If you found those packages, you can call Marilyn at the phone number listed above. It would mean much to her and her family.
Incidentally, Marilyn is a little embarrassed that she'd do this "stupid act."
She needn't be. Many people have driven off with things on top of their cars. Neighbors knows of cars zipping along with groceries, Bibles, cans of pop and other items resting on top.
The writer of Neighbors in fact confesses to something much dumber than leaving two packages up there. He once drove around town unwittingly (make that dim-wittedly) leaving his checkbook there.
Marilyn, you aren't alone.
If you have an item of interest for this column, mail it to Neighbors, The Forum, Box 2020, Fargo, N.D. 58107; fax it to 241-5487; or e-mail rlind@forumcomm.com
