Detectorist Saves Marriage!

Eat my words...

I had spent years teasing my former work mate about his hobby of metal detecting; I applied the usual stereotypical nick names: Geek, Nerd, Anorak etc.

The teasing was made easier given his little habit of becoming extremely over excited about freshly ploughed fields!! ‘Perhaps I could speak to the farmer...’ – easy target really!!

However one summer’s day last June karma taught me a lesson and I had to eat my words: It was approaching my first wedding anniversary, my husband and I, who are keen rugby players were at a training session for my team Trowbridge Muddy Maidens – (which my husband manages). Having been rushed from my son’s earlier training I didn’t have as much time to take the usual care and attention I would pay to removing my jewellery. As rugby can get quite physical this is always a necessity, to avoid earrings being torn out and rings being used as weaponry!!

So I rather trustingly (and in hindsight; foolishly!) gave my wedding and engagement ring to my husband for safe keeping. This later completely slipped my mind until the following morning, I woke in a blind panic at the stark realisation that I had not seen my rings since!! I quickly confronted my husband who couldn’t find them despite ‘carefully’ placing them in his ‘open’ pocket!!! It quickly dawned on us that the rings were most likely to have fallen out of his pocket and therefore be sat on the rugby field waiting to be found!! Now with average pitch being around 100m in length and 68m in width the task that fell before us became more and more daunting.

My husband (just about!!!) set off for the club and gave a heroic effort of ‘hand and knees’ searching for a good three hours! Unfortunately the only bounty was my earrings which were also with the rings. I was desperate, my husband was more desperate – would we survive to see our first wedding anniversary??!! I decided to call for reinforcements in the shape of former co worker and much teased, but loved friend; ‘Paul Archibald Anorak Chester’.

Ever the knight in shinning armour (although he refused to wear it for some reason – I think it affects the detector!!)  Paul gallantly met us at the rugby club and set straight to work, keen with anticipation of a new find!

After only a few minutes the sweet, sweet sound of a beeping metal detector only set to provide disappointment in the form of a neglected rugby stud! Surprisingly there were a large number of unwanted rugby studs on the pitch that day!!

After about twenty minutes all of our prayers were answered and the ever so modest Paul let out a subtle ‘here we are’ to reveal my beautiful rings, still in tact and with added grass! Hysteria and hugs followed whilst Paul wallowed in the glory of knowing I had to eat my words! You’ll be pleased to hear we are still married!!

Thank you XXX