Random acts of kindness

At The Waterfront, my lost purse came to the surface thanks to many helping hands

Pittsburgh Post Gazette
September 18, 2008

On Thursday, Sept. 4, I spent some time at the Waterfront mall in Homestead and at a favorite card shop called the 39er where there are a lot of great cards for 39 cents. (My friend Mort has dubbed me "the Queen of Cards.")

After chatting with the owner of the shop, Ed Ruck, I left to go on my way to GetGo to get some gasoline -- only to discover that I did not have my purse with me!

It was at that moment I realized that, before getting into the car, I had taken off a sweater and placed my purse on the roof of my car while I put my sweater in the car. I remembered that as I drove off, I did hear a thump -- but at the time, I figured it was my purse falling from the back seat to the floor of the car. Well, now I knew that "thump" was outside the car -- my purse had "flown the coupe!"

I decided to retrace my steps and headed back to the card shop. I did not expect to find my purse, but I was hoping that in some way I could get some help.

And that's just what happened.

At the card shop, Ed was deeply concerned with my plight and called 911. The dispatchers got in touch with the Homestead Police, where Officer Frank Snyder took the call.

Meanwhile, some other Waterfront customers had located my purse in the parking lot and they called 911, which then contacted the Homestead Police. Two Waterfront security guards -- Bryan Taylor and Shaun Helman -- heard the call on their radio and obtained the purse. They, along with two Homestead officers, Jeff Luptak and Sgt. Joe Derry, reunited me with my purse.

I do not have the name of the people who called security, but they truly did the right thing. I do want to thank all the wonderful officers who helped me. Everything in my purse was in perfect order and all of you made it a very happy day for me

-- THELMA (TEMMIE) GOLTZ, Oakland