I used to own a house that was built in the 70s with an old central A/C unit that was falling apart in a dirty dark A/C closet. I didn't go in that closet much because I'm not mechanically inclined, and it just symbolized an impending future expense that I was dreading. At some point, though, I had it open and happened to notice a dirty little box resting on a stud to the right of the equipment. Actually, I'm sure I had seen it a few times, but it hadn't really registered. It was originally red, but it had sat in that dirty, dusty closet for so long it was very dull by that point. On that occasion I picked the box up and opened it and found that it contained what appeared to be a man's ring, thick with no inset jewels or anything. There were some initials inscribed on the inside: "R.M." and another set that I no longer recall (this was maybe 10 years ago, but it has come to mind lately for some reason). I know it might sound strange, but I didn't immediately know what to do with it, and I didn't know who these people were, and I actually just put it back where I found it and closed the closet and didn't think much about it for a good while. I guess I was a pretty busy guy, and if anything I'd rather have found the owner than hock it (I have no idea how to tell if a ring is valuable, but even though it was in my house it didn't feel like it was mine). After some time passed it occurred to me that I had seen the name of a previous owner on the property appraiser's page for my house that could have been an "R.M." I went back and looked, and sure enough, there was a man with those initials. I worked at a university in town, and the first place I looked was the university phone directory, and sure enough, a man by that name was working there in another department. I brought the box to work the next day and kind of nervously called the number, but after a few rings a woman answered and said that he was out of the country for the summer. A few months later I thought to try him again, and this time a man answered. He sounded really busy -- he was still talking to someone else while he was talking to me, and he asked what I wanted. I told him, and as he came to understand what I was talking about, his second conversation stopped. He was very quiet, and he asked when we could meet. I had time at the moment, so I suggested a place on campus between our departments, and I rushed over there with this old ring box in my hand. I got there quickly and watched for people who could be him. A man in his 50's, tall, unshaven, with scraggly graying hair shuffled to a stop in front of me. He was holding a cigarette. He saw the box, and he could barely speak. He reached for it, and I handed it to him. He managed a "Thank you" as he fought tears. I wanted to know more, but it was such a personal moment, I thought I should leave, so I said, "You're welcome," and I headed back to work. If I could have known 100% that he was the owner, I would have liked to leave it for him somewhere the way Amelie did in the movie "Amelie" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOey_KjH0r8). Now I can think of ways I could have found that out without mentioning the ring, but anyway, it was cool to have been able to find him and return something that had so much meaning for him.