The Last Chance Christmas

It was supposed to be warmer when we got to San Antone, but the weatherman didn't get the memo. This
was going to be a hectic Christmas anyway and some warm sunshine would have been welcome. Tne hours
on the road and grampa was really feeling it as the kids rushed out to greet us; grandma grampa and
the funny Aunt. Joey didn't waste any time...'Bring your beep stick, Grampa?' You bet! Grampa smiled
as Joey received his first hug. Help me get some of this stuff into the house. Some holidays we
would go and spend a few days at my daughter and son-in-law's house. This was going to be a little
bit of a change. A Christmas holiday 90 minutes further South. Susan, Dave's mom had graciously
invited the three of us to come and stay at her house for her last Christmas in her Texas home. She
was a widow now with family and friends scattered around the globe, and the house in San Antonio had
grown too quiet. The house was up for sale and she wanted to be here surrounded with family for the
holiday. We got settled in and Joey disappeared but came back in just a few minutes with his hands
full. A Garrett Ace 350. It was a hint.

Joey's mom explained. The metal detector was one that Gino...the other grandpa... had purchased
after he heard about my new pastime. It seems that he had a mission. A few years back Susan had lost
a ring, an heirloom, gold with rubies and it had been missing somewhere in the backyard for years.
Gino was in poor health but he hoped to get back to the point he could use the detector to find
Susan's ring. It was not to be. Susan gave a little laugh...'Gino finally handed the detector to me
and told me to go find the ring and I tried but I didn't know how to use it. I doubt anyone will
find it after all this time.' "Well You have the 'ace' team on the job today. We'll find it, right
Joey?" It was mostly bluster. The most important thing was to spend some time with my 9 year old
grandson doing something we both enjoy.

Stepping off the back patio we got our game plan together. Grampa in the garden area next to the
fence and Joey taking the next swath about six feet in, at the edge of the lawn. this is Texas Hill
country so the soil is a strange mix of sticky clay with limestone gravel and sparse vegetation. The
area I was working had a barrier strip stapled down under mulch so it didn't take long for me to
dial away from the iron signals. We worked without headsets so we could hear each other as we went
along. Mostly because Grampa wanted to hear what was going on with both machines. About 10 minutes
passed and I got a promising beep just 2 notches above pulltab. scraping away the mulch I found the
aluminum tag from a long-gone rose...Rats! A few steps later, another signal about like the last.
A little plug and a drag across with the Lesch and there was the shine of gold with red
settings."Joey! I think we are done!" I held up the ring. "Wow! good work grampa. Can I take it in
to show grandma?" "Sure, hang on." By that time I had picked up my shovel and other gear and
couldn't easily get the ring out of the wad of stuff in my hands so I laid it all down. Carefully I
thought, but when I tried to pick the ring off the ground from where I laid it, I couldn't find it.
Simple, of course, we had our metal detectors with us. We both swung...crosstalk. Joey swung over
the spot, nothing. I swung over and around the spot, nothing. I said 'Joey, you know if we don't
find this ring again we can't go back in the house!' It would be silly, I thought about how it was
going to sound...'Yep we found that ring all right but I lost it again. aa-hyuk!' 'O.K Joey, swing one
more time right here.' We got the beep and narrowed it down to about 4 square inches and I got down
on my hands and knees and started massaging the grass with my fingertips and up it came. I took
Joey's wrist and placed the prize in his palm and closed his fingers around it. "This thing wants to
get away! Don't open your hand until you are in front of your grandmother." I was happy to witness
one really surprised lady and the 'Ace' team both got hugs.

O.K. Joey, let's have that chess game now. And Joey? Go get your handkerchief. You're going to need it.

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