It's not everyday that you lose a wallet with more than $1000 in cash and you actually get it back.
But it happened to Nicholas Bosch of Chilliwack.
He had filled up his car at the Esso at First and Young, and then drove away, not realizing his wallet was on top of the vehicle.
His black Buxton wallet flew off the roof with $1000 in $100 bills fluttering to the street.
Chilliwack Taxi cab driver Surinder Narula was driving eastbound down First Avenue, with a fare, at about 3 p.m. last Friday when he spotted the money rolling around in the breeze near the corner of Nowell Street.
He pulled the cab over, paused the meter and started picking it up, finding six bills, and then the black wallet. His customer hopped out and gathered some of the cash, and they put it all together. A passerby also picked up some bills and handed it to the driver.
"It was so windy, the money had blown down the block," said Narula.
They had every intention of hunting down the owner to return it if possible, he said.
They often find things left behind in their taxis, like phones or tablets, and they return them as soon as they can track down the owners.
Chilliwack Taxi general manager Kuldeep Singh took the reins and drove out to the Chilliwack address listed on the driver's licence in the wallet.
He left his business card and a note about what the cab driver found, and left with the hope they'd get a call.
Bosch told Singh when he called the local taxi company that he was "shocked" that he was getting his wallet back, with most of the cash intact. He appreciated the gesture very much.
The next day he visited the offices of Chilliwack taxi to thank them and have the wallet and cash handed over, where they took a photo together this week to record a little bit of good news.
"He wasn't sure if I was serious at first, but he was very happy, and said his girlfriend was very happy as well, to get it back."
They didn't realize they had even lost it, until they were out of town, and on the way to go shopping.
"It makes us happy to be able to do something like this. It's all part of being part of the community — and that's a good feeling," Singh said.
jfeinberg@theprogress.com
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