Lost money

I have hesitated posting about this.  But here goes.  I bet you are wondering where this post is headed.  Not at all where you think.
Five weeks ago we were meeting my son and his family downtown in our village for breakfast.  I had Doodle with me.  I dropped Mr. Cozy off since his hip was hurting so he wouldn't have to walk so far.  I didn't expect to find a parking spot too close to the place we were meeting.  There was so much going on that day.  Denison parents week-end. their homecoming, our HS homecoming, The Farmers Market and an antique fair.  (All downtown)  Well, I found a parking place right near the Farmers Market and close to the restaurant.  I thought "Wow what luck."  I hopped out and went around the other side of the car to let Doodle out of the backseat.  On the way I looked down and in the grass there was a folded wad of money.  I thought it wasn't real money.  There was a $100 bill on the outside.  I picked it up and looked around.  I didn't count it but knew there was more than one $100 bill.  With my CSI training (hah) I noted that the wad was warm on top and just a little damp on the bottom.  It had rained the night before so I knew then that it had only been there a short time.  Like I said I didn't count the money.  I got Doodle out of the back seat and we walked to meet Mr. Cozy.  He was sitting outside and I walked up and handed him the money.  He saw the first bill and I can't even begin to describe the look on his face.  He looked at me like I was going to be in big trouble or something.  He counted it and I told him where I found it.  I was trying to decide what to do with it as I walked to meet him.  I thought about taking it to the entrance of the Farmers Market where they have a table with information on....a real estate company's table.  So it a matter of a couple minutes Mr. Cozy said that I should take it to the police station.  I agreed and off Dodddle and I went.  We walked on over to the police station.......it actually looks like a little closet on the side of a building.  I walked in and told the lady at the window that I had found it and turned it over to her.  She said that she would put it in their safe and would keep it until the person that lost it showed up.  She said they didn't have this happen alot....someone bringing in alot of money they found.  She took down my information.  Doodle and I went back to Mr. Cozy and the other family members were there by then.  (My husband hates my long stories......hope you are still following this one)  On with the day........but I did have fun talking about he money that was in my hands less that a half hour.  When we got home after breakfast and Goose's soccer game the police station called.  The lady said that she found out that if no one claimed it after 30 days I could keep the money.  Hmmmmm, no way someone wouldn't come forward.
After two weeks I called to see if someone claimed it.  Hoping for their sakes they had.  I know loosing that kind of money would have devastated me.  Money is just money but someone would have to miss this much.
I was careful about saying the amount and talking about it to everyone.  Just in case, hah.
Off to Colorado and then home again.  I called on Monday and they gave me a run around at the police station.  Oh I need to check with so and so and see if it is still there or with so and so to see what the policy is.  I didn't like the tone.  This officer said he would call me the next day sometime after 3 p.m.
So it's the next day and I had lunch with a friend and happened to be at the post office at exactly 3 p.m. and just happened to have to park in front of the police station closet.  So I trucked on in and told them who I was.  A couple of officers casually strolled by.  They said they would have to see if it was still there.  The lady at the desk, someone different, asked a bunch of questions about me.....then went to her computer to check me out.  30 minutes later......now in most police stations this wouldn't be alot of time but in ours nothing was going on.  They finally came out with the wad and counted it in front of me.  A comment was made about the amount and then just handed it to me.  I dropped it all.  The officer said he should come out and pick it up and keep it another 30 days for me to claim.  So I walked out with this money that wasn't mine but not important enough for someone else to try to find it.  We think that the person in the same parking place dropped it when they reached into their pocket to get their keys out.  Just thinking.........  They could have been from out of town and didn't realize where they lost it. 
So what do I learn in this process?  Hubby and I said that we wouldn't turn it into the police station or into someone Else's hands.  We would if we ever, not likely, would have this happen again.  We would search for the owner somehow on our own.  It seems like the police had a hard time giving that money to me.  They made me feel ......oh I don't know........but not like an honest person.
So one day later I was sad.   I posted that I was sad but that the kids in the Halloween parade cheered me up.  I was sad for the person that lost this money, I was so sad about all the people in NJ and NY that had lost everything.  Just sad.  I didn't expect all of you that to express concern over me saying I was sad.  The post was to be more about the parade.
What am I going to do with the money.  I am going to give some of it to Red Cross for the Sandy victims.  Not sure about the rest,
Now for sticking to this story for so long............I will send a little gift to the person that guesses how much money I found.  Just something little.  If no one guesses the little gift will go to the closest guess.  You have to be a follower and you can be a new one.  I don't even know what this gift will be be.  So leave a comment with your guess.  This is the only time I will post this.  I will choose in a few days.
Wow, that was a long story........