Busy Business Owner Loses Money Bag, But, Then, the Call Goes Out to His Neighbors….

Yesterday, when Redway business owner Jesse Eldridge got to work, he discovered he was missing the bag with cash needed to fill his cash register. After searching, he realized he must have lost it. We asked him what happened next and he explained in his own words.

Jesse Eldridge

Jesse Eldridge and his niece, Sequoia. 

October is one of our business months out of the year making Take n Bake Pizzas for Southern Humboldt. School is back in session, the school snack shacks need to feed the masses at sporting events, families are just tired of the same old question “WHAT’S FOR DINNER” AGAIN!!!….and with SoHum being overpopulated with the trimmigants from afar…who U gonna call?! Home Cooking Take n Bake Pizza in SoHum that’s WHO!!! With that in mind…one can only remember so many details when you work so hard to keep up with demands. So as I ventured out the door this morning trying to juggle my coffee and pizza supplies, I thought I checked my list twice just to make sure that I had EVERYTHING I needed to tackle another day in business….as soon as I arrived in town to open up shop, I was struck with panic not being able to find what I needed the most to even conduct business for the day…my til money.

I asked my sister if she had it since she had been known to pocket the money in her purse to try and make things easier for me….this wasn’t the first time I’ve misplace our business cash! But to my surprise…our til money was not to be found 45 minutes before opening shop. Panicked, I made the call home to try and see if I left it in Miranda. The coffee table, the kitchen, the front door, heck I thought I may have even left it in the REFRIGERATOR when I was picking up some last minute supplies!!!

My mind was racing as my business partner/mother was looking all around to see where it may have been…then it dawned on me…in order to get into my truck this morning, I made the everyday convenient mistake to place all my supplies on my truck bed cover…..apparently I loaded everything up except our business cash bag…must have blended in….I hadn’t finished my first cup of Joe!!! So I had a hunch….that it slid off the truck somewhere in Miranda or just as U was going on the highway south!!!….might as well just consider all $275 of cash GONE!!!…but I figured that Miranda is a good town and I’d test my luck sending out a call for help…on Facebook.

Jesse and his mother Laura Eldridge

Jesse and his mother Laura Eldridge in front of their store in Redway.

Friends shared my post, messaged me wanting details of the route I took, wondered if I left anything in the bag that would let people know that it is “Home Cooking”’s, I even had half a dozen people send PRAYERS!!!….the Miranda Alliance saw my post thanks to April Moore and the hunt was on while my sister and I were slinging out pizza pies at work…I was rather pessimistic in it being found at all and considered it a stupid loss on my behalf for the business…hopefully if it was found it went to someone truly in need….then half way through our day, a man came in our shop and asked if Jesse or Laura (my Mom) was working today. My sister said yes…and as I entered the front of our shop…the man leaves….we found it odd at first but were occupied by 3 lasagnas n about 7 pizzas and just continued on with business….then I saw the man come back in along with a customer of ours….smiling…as I then saw what I thought was gone forever…FOUND!!!!

Money bag

The missing money bag.

What are the odds?!!! A surreal miracle!!! I asked Lucy Bright where she found it and she told me it was on the center dividing line on the highway just when you saw Phillipsville…just sitting there. She was driving with her kids and before she left Miranda…saw on Facebook through the Miranda Alliance that our money bag was missing…sure enough she saw it going 65mph (I’m trusting) and decided to call her man to come and pick it up…he was a little confused at first but just decided to trust the love of his life…and retrieve the bag in the middle of the treacherous highway!!! Not even knowing if there was any money to be found!!!…

That’s a good heart right there! And especially when the world is in turmoil right now with the fires and all the craziness that SoHum has been cursed with…it just brings me hope n joy to know…we have a community that looks out for each other and is there to support one another…when we need it the most. We live in one of the world’s most gorgeous places on earth…and a good portion of that beauty…is our close knit community that continues to look out n help one another. : ) I’m proud to have been born here and continue to serve our community and it’s stories like this….that just make me want to continue to do what I do to Serve the community that I love so much! I told Lucy she’s definitely getting a few rounds of pizza on us for her heroic and commendable deed…and she decided (with a little persuasion) that she would take me up on the offer…starting out with dinner TONIGHT!!! : ) Apparently this isn’t the first time Lucy has found and returned a big bundle of cash to someone. But I feel it’s best to hear her side of the story. : )

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31 Comments
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KIDDZZ
Guest
KIDDZZ
6 years ago

Rad.

Diesel DRW - Curb Weight 7762 lbs
Guest
Diesel DRW - Curb Weight 7762 lbs
6 years ago

This is a very silly story, but I am glad it had a happy ending… I hope you get a “Blues Brothers” briefcase with a handcuff, and check the screws holding your head in place…

This is serious business,
sex, violence, rock and roll…

Gypsy Rose
Guest
Gypsy Rose
6 years ago

A story like this warms the heart and gives you hope.

SourTangant
Guest
SourTangant
6 years ago

Still some decent good folks left in this world. Jesse & Laura are such good people & always so kind & nice to everyone. Glad this ended so happy!!

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

Kudos. Humboldt kids rule.awsome job.free pizza for her?🍕🍕🍕

Paul C Windham
Guest
Paul C Windham
6 years ago

Good to have a little good news today. Aside from those possessed by demons, people are good at heart.

dawni
Guest
dawni
6 years ago

FYI – when I load stuff into my vehicle and want to place an item for safe keeping until I can open the driver door with the precious stuff (be it the morning coffee, purse or your till cash) I put it Right in Front of the Drivers seat on the hood of the vehicle.
It has saved me more than once to hop in the drivers seat and see my importants in front of my face rather than on top of the vehicle. One Lucky Dude, and We Love Our Neighbors.

Robert up the hill
Guest
Robert up the hill
6 years ago

Wonderful Lucy Bright I have known her whole life she a solid strong honest woman I not a all surprised by her honestly

lorrie neuenfeldt
Guest
lorrie neuenfeldt
6 years ago

So happy to read this as this is what our community has always been about. Lets not forget that as we go through life and strangers to our lovely little town. We are good people and we look out for one another. It is the little things that give us hope.

Aunt Jackie
Guest
Aunt Jackie
6 years ago

I’m glad to hear a story with a happy ending.

Veterans Friend
Guest
Veterans Friend
6 years ago

I once watched my mother drive past me with her purse on the roof of her car. It stayed there apparently for 3 or 4 miles. The guy behind her saw it fall off, stopped to pick it up, then using info inside, phoned her to return it. They dated for a while.🤣🤣🤣

Thinking allowed
Guest
Thinking allowed
6 years ago

I too left something on the roof of my truck as I drove off. A few blocks later, I suddenly remembered but it was gone. Found it caught on the backup lights on the back bumper.

I’m glad that the small town community couid get it back to you so fast.

Barbara Jean
Guest
Barbara Jean
6 years ago

ha ha! I like that. 🙂

Z
Guest
Z
6 years ago

What a sweet story!!! $!!!

Stay Tuned
Guest
Stay Tuned
6 years ago

Yay !!!!!! Feel Good Story !!!!!!!!!

Barb
Guest
Barb
6 years ago

I love the photo!

fuckwalterwhite.com
Guest
fuckwalterwhite.com
6 years ago

Ok. I’ll be the critic,if it doesn’t get deleted.

This guy has lost the company bag before? His sister knows he’s a spaceout,and intervenes sometimes. Maybe mom should hire a sober-grad.

Nice honest recovery,though

Firefighters wife
Guest
Firefighters wife
6 years ago

Hey critic, Did you read the part about busy business OWNER.

fuckwalterwhite.com
Guest
fuckwalterwhite.com
6 years ago

Yup. Co-owner w/mom.

Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
6 years ago

Are you kidding??? He’s too busy criticizing to read!!! :-C

Cove-ite
Guest
Cove-ite
6 years ago

Right on jesse! Alls well that ends well!

Lynn H
Guest
Lynn H
6 years ago

My wallet fell out of my pants last year at the Fortuna dog park. A wonderful woman found it and waited for me. I didn’t realize it was gone till I was 45 minutes away. When I came back she grinned and handed it to me. Would not take any reward.

Things like this renew our faith in people 🙂 Thanks for being a good human Lucy!

bob
Guest
bob
6 years ago

I lost my wallet once in SoHum on 101. A man found it and had his daughter email me. He delivered my wallet to my daughter who worked in Arcata. There was a lot of cash in it and it was still there. He refused to take a reward.

Good folks live in Humboldt County.

Pacific Cultivation
Guest
Pacific Cultivation
6 years ago

I once left Berkeley for San Francisco to work in the morning. Realized I forgot my coffee a mile or so down the road, bummer! Arrived at the job after threading through the MacArthur maze and over the Bay bridge and all the way up the hills into Pacific Heights. Went to unload my tools and there was my hot coffee sitting on my bumper.

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

I’ve left my purse and COFFEE on top my car. Once I made it all the way to the school to drop off kids,till the principal pointed to the roof of the car.☕👜

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
6 years ago

Jesse and his mom look to be the same age.
Great ending to the story

Bc
Guest
Bc
6 years ago

Awesome…

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
6 years ago

Alls well that ends well.

Build the wall
Guest
Build the wall
6 years ago

Your lucky i didnt find it, id a spent it at parkinsons on bricks and mortar to build a wall!

superd
Guest
superd
6 years ago

yes indeed, there are many decent folks around here