http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4534052.stm
This leaves me speechless on several levels.
Merry Christmas, somebody!
What is up with the hand in the picture?
Oh, what a sad story! Did he ask and she said no? Did she die before he could ask? Did she run off with his best friend?
I hope someone comes forward with the rest of the story.
It came with the ring, apparently.
I don’t know, but somebody could use some lotion.
Thanks, this isn’t even my monitor and I just spit juice all over it…
I’m also dying to hear the story. Maybe auntie em’s missing cow-orker did it again…?
It’s some generic archive “ring” photo
Not wanting to crush illusions or destroy the holiday mood, but…
That story appeared in the Boston newscasts last week, either Wednesday or Thursday, including nice long closeups of the ring. It had an old fashioned look to it, you could easily imagine that this was the engagement ring from a long married coupled. She had clearly died recently, and he wanted their ring to be used for another happy couple.
The next day the story was covered in the Boston Globe, also with a picture.
All very romantic…
And then the Boston Globe for this Sunday was delivered. In the larger of the two colored sections, the ‘Boston Globe Magazine’, there was a short article about how modern engaged couples are turning to old-fashioned styles of rings. The article was illustrated with nice pictures of a few different styles, each of which was tagged with where you could buy it.
One of the rings was THE EXACT SAME DESIGN as the ‘found’ ring.
My sceptical mind insists that this is too great a coincidence. I think the owner of the jewelry store featured with that particular ring decided to score a whole lot more publicity. I’ve heard the usual markup on jewelry is a factor of three or four. So for a cost of something like $4 to $5 thou, the jeweler got his special design shown over and over on the news (at least noon and 6 pm broadcasts on one network, and I expect the others covered it too) AND stories in the local paper.
And then, when everyone has has time to go all soft and warm over this romantic gesture…why, surprise! Here’s an ad showing you can buy the exact ring for your own sweetheart! Complete with the name and address of the shop…
No, I have no proof that this is what happened. But I’d bet on it.
BTW, before anyone wonders if it happened the other way, that is, the choice of which ring to feature in the diamond engagement story resulted from the news story – couldn’t be. The Magazine sections are printed up several weeks in advance of distribution.
This will be the basis of a great country and western song: “My love up and took my heart on the 5:14 to Westport”
So do you think the person who “found” the ring was in on it? I don’t think it’d work otherwise - there’s a good chance the owner of the car would simply sell the ring without notifying the police or the media.
Very suspicious, that. Of course, they could have done a quick bit of work and found a facsimile. I wouldn’t put money either way.
I smell a screenplay coming on…
I don’t know. Clearly that would be the way to go if you wanted to be sure the trick would work, but you’d have to have someone who could act well enough to be creditable to the police and newspeople.
Of course, the finder was a clearly well off guy with a nice car and clothes and all. Maybe if you deliberately picked a car that was expensive and well-cared for, you could increase your chances it would be reported?
OT3H, why would a sensible business person, someone who parks in a MTA lot each day and catches a train into the city, leave his car door unlocked?
I dunno which way I lean on the finder’s involvement. I’m sure others must have noticed this incredible coincidence and maybe they have a reporter looking into it already. It would certainly be interesting to read a follow up story.