Last night around 9:30, I received a text message from Joe, who had been referred to me by my nephew, Jason. Joe wanted to know if I could help find his lost keys. He’d spent the entire day clearing a lot and splitting wood, only to discover he couldn’t locate his keys when it was time to leave. Luckily, he had a spare set delivered, so there was no rush. We agreed to meet the next morning around 10.

I arrived early, greeted by a steady drizzle. Prepared with my rain gear, I suited up and headed to the area where the wood was piled. Hoping to spot the key fob in the daylight, I carefully walked around the piles, but no luck. Realizing I’d need my detector, I went back to my SUV to grab it.

I began searching an area where the tall grass was matted down, marked by splinters of wood from splitting. Just two minutes in, my detector gave a strong tone. I moved some grass and leaves aside—and there they were: Joe’s keys. He hadn’t arrived yet, so he missed the quick find.

I returned to my SUV and waited for him to show up. When Joe arrived, he took me to the spot where he’d spent most of his day. We were just three feet from where I’d found the keys. As he described his activities and scanned the ground, I pulled the keys from my pocket and asked, “Do your keys look like this?”

At first, he looked puzzled, then recognition dawned. “Yes!” he said, clearly amazed. The moment he realized they were his keys was priceless—a mix of shock and relief.

It had only taken about five minutes of walking and searching to locate the keys. Without a detector, though, Joe never would’ve found them. They were pressed into the mud and hidden beneath leaves.

As a bonus, I now have access to some firewood for my fire pit—a small token of appreciation.

I Love My Hobby!