A Christmas Craigslist Miracle

Bostonist opened up our inbox this morning to find a message from a friend with the subject “You’re never going to believe this…” We’ll backup here and start with a preface to the story: she wasn’t going to be able to go home for the holidays. Her family exchanged gifts at Thanksgiving instead of those days of various religious, cultural, and retail significance in late December (Robertson and O’Reilly please note: for her it was a Christmas present). The smallest, most expensive gift she’d been given was a shiny new video iPod.

Since Thanksgiving, or Christmas-come-early, she’d been popping credits into iTunes buying songs and albums, making playlists, and even snagging a whole episode of Desperate Housewives. But then it was gone. Upon her return home one day she found an empty pocket, no white earbuds, and a music (and video!) machine full of her favorites that she swore must have been left next to her as she hurried to get off an Orange Line train. When she called frantically that night to ask for our sympathy and advice, Bostonist told her how ever since we misplaced our favorite pair of gloves on the T last year, we make note of the car number we were riding in. And, of course, promptly forget it before we even leave the station. She wasn’t ready to give up. That suggestion was useless. Put up signs. But where? Perhaps Craigslist? There are some decent people out there and a thriving Internet community, why not try?

Success! Bostonist believes in the Micracle-O-Craig once again. Sure our shoddy desk we picked up for $10 (on which we write this post), a random lamp, and a box full of Christmas lights we picked up over the summer made us appreciate the list, but this made us believe. Her “Lost and Found” posting returned results within a half hour. An honest gent halfway across Boston emailed and asked for identifying features. White earbuds wouldn’t cut it, but playlists and some song titles could. A finders fee paid (let’s call it “reward for honesty”) and she’s been since reunited with her iPod again. So yes, Virginia, there is a Craigslist.

This post contributed by Matthew Nelson