shawn_rahman Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 I will forever consider myself blessed because of this. I accidentally left my Domke with a D70 with 18-70 kit lens, an 85 1.8 lens, an SB-800 flash, two batteries, two 2GB cards, and the battery charger in a take- out store this past Wednesday afternoon. For some reason, I put it the camera out of my mind until this morning, when I went to retrieve it from my closet and became FRANTIC at the thought of losing it. I called EVERY place I went to on Wednesday - a bookstore, the restaurant I went to for dinner, Starbucks, and then FINALLY remembered that I went to the Mexican takout store that afternoon. It turns out that a VERY caring worker there named Myra found the bag and locked it up, hoping that I would come back for it or call for it. She said that she did not look through the bag so she didn't even know the contents. If she would have, she would have found the Domke ID tag tucked inside with my cell phone number. Well, long story short - she graciously refused a reward (I had a $100 bill ready for her), and I have my $1,500 investment (from two years ago) returned to me. There are many honest people left in this world - Myra from La Salsa on Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles is one of them. Hold on to your bags, folks. Don't be stupid like me and put it on the floor when you sit to eat or do something like that. Lesson learned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wing8 Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Buy some lottery tickets dude :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Javkin Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Congratulations. I have a couple of suggestions: 1. Have nice print made of one of your own favorite images (maybe "Playing to the light" -- it's wonderful, although the large posted image might need noise reduction for printing) have it framed, and give it to Myra. 2. Check out the possibility of getting homeowner's or renter's insurance with what insurance agents call a "rider" that insures your photography equipment, even when it is away from home. It is typically very inexpensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew_mclurkin Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Nice! Glad to hear that there is still good in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hique Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 More than luck, you had Myra ;) How good the world would be if all were Myras Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgfassett Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Who is this frequently referenced guy named Dude? Perhaps a famous photographer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_s__n.e._mass_ Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 A couple of suggestions- thank her manager profusely on her behalf, and, if it's a chain, write the president and describe the story naming her- corporations love to honor employees like that and maybe she'll get something out of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Yeah, I too would write a letter of appreciation to the store manager or CEO of that company. It is a good idea to attach your business card or some kind of contact information in some sort of luggage tag and hang one off your camera bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelging Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 I would be sure to "pass it along" the next time you see someone who could use your help. Maybe you have done this in the past,and you were being thanked through Myra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_amos Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 As said on both counts, write a letter to recognize Myra's attention to detail in this matter as well as other matters that may relate more to the owners sensibilities about his daily business, to the extent that you experienced that level of service, and get a Personal Property Policy with your insurance company to cover things like wedding rings and cameras. Good for you on the return! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_kami Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Glad to hear that you got your gear back. That is somewhat of a miracle in this day and age. Just a thought on how else to recognize Myra - write a letter to the editor of the local newspapers mentioning the name of the restaurant and the good samaritan and what happened. There's nothing like a good news story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liljuddakalilknyttphotogra Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 I'm very happy for you. In Los Angeles she's a rare find. I got my first Nikon, an FM, stolen with my three first lenses out of my apartment when I'd lived here for a little more than 3 1/2 months. I could have used a Myra then. Not only camera & lenses, but all the jewelry I'd gotten for graduation etc etc etc. I guess that's what i get for moving in to an apartment building next to a halfway house for wayward girls.;-) Mine was never retrieved. I'm glad yours was. I use a backpack just so that I won't have to put it down. But as I woman I'm somewhat trained at holding on to my handbag. ;-) Anyhow, very happy for you. Now go out & shoot some pictures to celebrate. Lil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawn_rahman Posted June 2, 2007 Author Share Posted June 2, 2007 Thanks, all for the great ideas. I will certainly write a letter to the corporate office of La Salsa congratulating them on such a fine employee and thanking Myra for her honesty and humility. And I will celebrate the return of my gear today by going out shooting like a madman tomorrow. Regards to all. Shawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_shumpert1 Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 Congratulations on getting your gear back. I told my wife about your post and she told me to suggest offering a portrait session for Myra with her family.That is if you do portrait photography. I agree with everyone who says write a letter of appreciation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john lehman, college alask Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Again, congratulations! While most of us are cynical (often for good reason), as you point out, "there are many honest people left in this world." I had (indirectly) a similar experience a couple of weeks ago -- I went as a teacher with a group of American students from Germany to Paris, and one of the girls left her purse in a restaurant (in spite of our advice, with her passport, credits cards, and lots of Euros in it). She got it back unopened when we went back, and all of her doubts about the French vanished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_levine Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 If I had that sort of forgetfulness, I'd find a cheaper hobby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul levin Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 You were indeed fortunate. I once left(presumably) a Contax G2 at a restaurant where we were having a party for my wife's birthday. Never recovered it. Oh! BTW, Steve a little humility goes a long way. It could happen to you too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_newell2 Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 >>Buy some lottery tickets dude << Yeah...but give them to Myra, after you say thank you for the 47th time! 8^0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fgoericke Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Hector was suggesting an insurance for the camera and equipment. That is always a good idea. However, I don't think any insurance in the world would pay if you left your camera bag in a restaurant and it disappears there. In general, they only pay if the equipment was removed from a locked-up room, house or car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregory_c Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 My brother in law was on a cruise, they were setting the suitcases on the dolly to leave, he sat his camera bag with a new D70, couple of nice lenses on the cart, came back several minutes later & camera was gone,,,,so be careful,,, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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