Mysterious Incident in the Community Garden

[NJCher]

We had 14 volunteers for a recent spring cleanup. We pulled weeds, added new soil to the beds, cleared pathways, and repaired raised beds.

At one point, about 20" into the work session, I found a dollar. I held it up and asked, "Who lost a dollar?" No one claimed it. I gave it to the nearest teenager, saying I'll bet you lost this and didn't even realize it. She was the one closest to the dollar.

About ten minutes later, I spotted scattered bills of various denominations on a grass area near the raised beds. There was a 20, a 10, a couple fives, and two ones. I picked it up and addressed the group: "somebody has a hole in their pocket! Please check your pockets." People did, but nobody claimed the cash.

After that, two or three volunteers approached me saying that while they were working, they found a dollar or a five or whatever. They gave me the cash and I asked my co-worker (the funder for the gardens) what she thought I should do with the money. She said you keep it and buy a couple plants that will be just right for the garden. You know what to buy. I said OK.

The next day I was again working, but this time by myself. I found more bills, but they were torn up and the only parts of the bills I found were the part containing the serial number. There were two bills of unknown denomination, then, in addition to the other money that was found.

Weird, right?

The day I was working I had on work trousers that had no pocket, but I did have a black apron on, so I think I must have stuffed the $$ in my apron pocket.

Today I saw bumblebees looking for flower buds and remembered the money. I said I'm going to buy some blooms for the bumbles! I went to the apron to retrieve the money and it was gone! So apparently I lost the lost money.

I'm not 100 per cent sure I lost it yet as I have two black aprons and I need to find the other one.

But if I lost the lost money, it will be a doubly weird ending to a weird little story.

[elleng]

1. VERY weird!

[MLAA]

2. What a mystery!

[unweird]

3. At an April work party a few years back

I found a two finger baggie of cannabis on April 21st. Apparently somebody’s 4/20 observance was a bit careless.

[NJCher]

4. Lol, nice reward

And I love that your user name is “unweird.”

[NJCher]

5. found the money!!

It was in the dryer. Mystified again because it was a load of whites.

So I have $31 to go buy some in-bloom plants for the bumblebees. So excited. Not sure what to get, but I have a book about the blooms bees most like, so I'll consult it.

I will buy two for one of the gardens because the main garden has lots of blooms from all kinds of plants.

Isn't spring just the best!!!???!!!

[onethatcares]

6. finally

we know what happened with the money from D.B, '

Never thought he'd drift that far though....

buy some top soil/fertilizer/or whatever the garden club might need. That's a good find.

[NJCher]

7. I bought snapdragons for the bumblebees.

I already put them in. I could just "feel" the bumbles complaining about not enough blooms when I was there the other day.

So I think I solved the mystery. It's an interesting "karmic" story.

Someone asked me if I made an effort to find the person(s) who lost the money. I said hell no; how would I do that. This person didn't have an answer to that, but I suppose I could have put up a flyer on the gate and ask them to claim the money by telling me how much they'd lost.

First I discovered that the lawnmower guy employed by the school ran over my expensive steel hose. He ruined it. These things are about $60 for a 100' hose. So now I have to buy a new one.

These lawnmower guys are kind of jerks. They leave the gate unlocked when they leave. They run over flowers with impunity. The teacher who founded the gardens and got them off the ground told me stories about how they mowed over bulbs, flowers, you name it. They don't care; they just want to get the lawn mowed and get out of there.

I mean really, what kind of person runs over a flower that some little kid planted?

Anyway, after I discovered the hose I went to the greenhouse. It was very windy and the wind had blown things around, like the covers off the earthworm bins. It then occurred to me that what had happened is the wind might have blown the money out of the pocket of the lawnmower guy. This would also explain the bills where the serial number was found. The lawnmower chopped up a few bills.

The only thing implausible about this explanation is that the lawnmower guy surely had to see his mower going over money floating around all over this huge garden, right? But maybe not.

It's the only thing I can think of and it gives me a convenient rationale for not trying to find the person who lost the money because if I can attribute it to the lawnmower guy, I can call it karma 'cuz he chopped up my steel hose.