Detecting story...non technical post

I went out detecting this weekend and happened upon something I seldom see any more. I thought I would share this little story. I know this is more of a technical structured forum so it may be out of place here.

Anyways I was hunting the site I have been finding the rings and I had noticed another guy metal detecting the area now referred to as "the new beach". He was approx 1/4 mile from me when I first saw him. I was in my own world doing my own thing. About an hour later, I see the other detectorist heading down the trail towards the parking area. He saw me and here he came. I usually get a bit of dread when I see another detectorist approaching me. I too often, run into the "one upper" types or the flat out liars that will tell you stuff like "I found 21 platinum rings and a Rolex here last week". Something so far fetched like that; you wonder why they try so hard to impress someone they don't know. Anyways you never know what to expect. That's what caught me so off guard about this guy. He was an older man. I would later find out he was 72. I asked him if he'd done any good and that's when the excitement came out of him. He said "Yes I have had a really good day hunting today!". And he starts rummaging through his coat pockets and pulls out a pair of stainless fishing pliers. He had to show them to me and he was like "these things are nearly $15 at WalMart" and he wasn't done...he'd found a Phillips screwdriver, a lock blade knife, and a grapple style fishing anchor. I cannot express how excited he was to show me his finds and treasures. He had an older style 2 knob Bounty Hunter detector. He didn't swing it at all...he held it out in front of him with the coil closer to the ground, and just walked with it out in front of him. He wasn't looking for coins or rings...he was looking for the bigger stuff fishermen had lost over the years. And he was absolutely having a ball. He asked if he could hunt with me and I said sure...and literally everything he found, he was excited about and had a use for it. I had found 2 rings and a pouch filled with clad, pull tabs, fishing sinkers, etc. He asked me what all I had found and I showed him...he didn't even give the rings a second glance. Do you know what he got excited about? The fishing sinkers. He was like "wow your metal detector can pick those up?! Are you going to keep them?" I gave him the sinkers and you'd of thought I gave him $1,000 cash. I ended up calling it a day and walked back with him to make sure he got to his truck OK as it was starting to get dark. It was just so refreshing to run into somebody like that out there, that was genuinely excited and happy go lucky. I haven't quit smiling since when I think about that. Absolutely made my week.

STUNNING heart-felt story!
"Treasure" ain't the same for all !!!
"Happiness" is a treasure that is SOOOOO easily underestimated!

Good story, Daniel, very refreshing. Don't hesitate to post things like that . . . getting the human side mixed into this tech site is welcomed, for me anyway.

What a neat story Daniel--thanks so much for sharing it.-----Del

Great story Daniel, thank you for sharing.

Great story Daniel. I like hearing that. Kind of like my hunting in northern Michigan. I'm happy when I find a square nail or a horse shoe. Almost as happy as finding an IH.

The way he was excited over those pliers, you would have thought he had found a gold bar. It truly was a blessing to have met him. If I make it to 72, I hope I have the health and enthusiasm like that.

Daniel --

Great story!

Steve

This fellow is happy as a lark about what he is finding with his metal detector. I dare say he’s most likely not a metal detecting you tube or social media fanatic. Refreshing!