millbank Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Bag Lady misses out on cut Things couldn't have turned out better for Jim Wallenberg, a veteran violinist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Wallenberg lost the $77,000 violin on Saturday when he left it at the streetcar shelter at Queens Quay and Spadina and then boarded a streetcar bound for Union Station. Unable to find the violin upon his return to the shelter, he offered a reward for its safe return. What he didn't know was that a bag lady, well known among Queens Quay Blvd. residents as a loud woman with a shopping cart filled with bottles, bags and licence plates, had picked up the violin, placed it in her cart and carried on down the street. On Monday, after hearing of the reward, Wayne Wulff, a local animal rescue investigator, spotted the violin case in the bag lady's cart and called Wallenberg to confirm the reward. "I said: `I might have seen a case in a homeless person's cart in the area. I don't know if it's a violin case, it's sort of a long brown oblong case,'" Wulff recounted moments after the handover. "He said, `Oh my god, can you go and find this lady or do what you can to track her down?'" Knowing for the first time of the total amount of the reward, Wulff went looking again for the bag lady, finally catching up with her in a park at the south corner of Bathurst St. and Queens Quay Blvd. and began bartering for the violin. "I told her: `That case there belongs to a friend of mine and I'm willing to give you everything I have,'" Wulff said. Everything Wulff had amounted to $35 and a shiny silver ring worth no more than $40, which he exchanged with the lady – whom he described as "very angry" – for the violin. Then he called Wallenberg back to announce that he had retrieved the instrument and the two men set a time and place for the exchange. Neither Wulff nor Wallenberg seemed terribly bothered by the absence of the bag lady from the scene of the exchange. "I don't think she was robbed of $1,000," said Wallenberg, adding he was extremely relieved to have the 36-year-old violin that had once belonged to his mother back in his possession. "She took the violin and kept it for herself and didn't contact me. She could have contacted me, she could have left it there, but maybe she didn't know what it was and might have thought that it was up for grabs. If she had contacted me and said: `I'm so and so and I've found this violin,' I would have given her the $1,000." Wulff, who didn't tell the woman about the reward money before cutting the deal for a fist full of dollars and a shiny ring, said she wouldn't have understood what he was saying had he told her the value of what was resting in her cart. "There was obviously a problem with communicating with her. She's constantly talking to herself, so I don't think she understood the magnitude of what was in the case," Wulff said. Wulff is adamant that he did what he had to to get the violin back safely, but said he would consider giving a larger portion of the $1,000 to the bag lady if he sees her again. In the meantime, he's planning to put the money toward a trip to Las Vegas. I think the man was deceitful and the very least he should share the reward each getting $500. The guy is a weasel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Wulff is adamant that he did what he had to to get the violin back safely, but said he would consider giving a larger portion of the $1,000 to the bag lady if he sees her again. In the meantime, he's planning to put the money toward a trip to Las Vegas. He's unlikely to see her in Vegas. POS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Why should he? Was she making any effort to find the owner? Sure doesn't sound that way, but more like she intended to keep it for herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ieatcrayonz Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 He's unlikely to see her in Vegas. POS I agree with your thoughts here but after what you did to Ginny and your refusal to help, who are you to talk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taterhill Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Why should he? Was she making any effort to find the owner? Sure doesn't sound that way, but more like she intended to keep it for herself. yeah she should have sent a text from her blackberry.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 It's amazing how many stories I've read over the years of people losing their very expensive violins. My wife plays and has one worth only $1,000 and she guards it with her life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevbeau Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 It's amazing how many stories I've read over the years of people losing their very expensive violins. My wife plays and has one worth only $1,000 and she guards it with her life. That's why I'm always on the lookout for wayward musical instruments. It's like hitting the lottery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 yeah she should have sent a text from her blackberry.... Is there any indication that she made any attempt whatsoever to return it? No. She could have taken it to the police. Once she sold it to this guy, she lost any and all rights to a reward, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 It's amazing how many stories I've read over the years of people losing their very expensive violins. My wife plays and has one worth only $1,000 and she guards it with her life. I am also amazed how absent-minded some musicians can be with their 'priceless' instruments. Pretty stupid to lose a $80,000 fiddle, but not nearly as dumb as this... Yo Yo Ma loses $2.5M cello Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Why should he? Was she making any effort to find the owner? Sure doesn't sound that way, but more like she intended to keep it for herself. Is there any indication that she made any attempt whatsoever to return it? No. She could have taken it to the police. Once she sold it to this guy, she lost any and all rights to a reward, IMO. What the baglady did amounts to theft, whether it be legal or moral. Under 'Finders Keepers' you should first make an honest attempt to return the merchandise. If she'd done that, then she would have gotten the reward $. Instead, the fact remains that she then sold the violin to some random guy on the street who claimed that he knew who it belonged to. If your intentions are entirely honorable in picking up something that someone mistakenly left behind and you pick up under the guise of 'safe keeping,' you don't hand it off to anyone but the owner, lost/found at the train station or the police. The guy tracked the violin down and obtained it from someone who had no intention of returning it, therefore he deserves the reward. Her intentions were not honorable and she doesn't deserve anything for her actions in this case. But like all those in her conditions, I do hope she is persuaded to get some help to get off the street, food, employment, mental help, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 What the baglady did amounts to theft, whether it be legal or moral. Under 'Finders Keepers' you should first make an honest attempt to return the merchandise. If she'd done that, then she would have gotten the reward $. Instead, the fact remains that she then sold the violin to some random guy on the street who claimed that he knew who it belonged to. If your intentions are entirely honorable in picking up something that someone mistakenly left behind and you pick up under the guise of 'safe keeping,' you don't hand it off to anyone but the owner, lost/found at the train station or the police. The guy tracked the violin down and obtained it from someone w/o an intention of returning it, therefore he deserves the reward. Her intentions were not honorable and she doesn't deserve anything for her actions in this case. But like all those in her conditions, I do hope she is persuaded to get some help to get off the street, food, employment, mental help, etc. Good points. I read this, this morning: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/10/...in4005356.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tennesseeboy Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 What if he bargained both ways? As to the bag lady it was getting it for $75. Once he got it why couldn't he bargain for a larger reward? He calls the owner, says "Look I know where the violin is (the baglady) I can get it but I want $5,000 for my touble. Would you be willing to up the reward to $5000? Is this ethical? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Good points. I read this, this morning: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/10/...in4005356.shtml I applaud him, really I do but he needs to pick a better profession: There was his credit card debt, upcoming wedding and making ends meet with his artificial grass and landscaping business. How much landscaping could artificial grass really need? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans4e64 Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Her loss. Too bad. The guy isn't at fault, and shouldn't share any money, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ieatcrayonz Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I applaud him, really I do but he needs to pick a better profession: How much landscaping could artificial grass really need? Dude, it's Canada. A. They want to be just like Americans B. Too cold for grass to grow C. Profit D. ????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I am also amazed how absent-minded some musicians can be with their 'priceless' instruments. Pretty stupid to lose a $80,000 fiddle, but not nearly as dumb as this... Yo Yo Ma loses $2.5M cello how do you lose a cello? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 how do you lose a cello? He dint lose it, his Ma did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 He dint lose it, his Ma did. Senator lost his Ma? That is so sad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Senator lost his Ma? That is so sad Yeah, he was all broken up about it. Offered a $25 reward for her safe return ($50 if she made it home in time to fix dinner). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac17 Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 What the baglady did amounts to theft, whether it be legal or moral. Under 'Finders Keepers' you should first make an honest attempt to return the merchandise. If she'd done that, then she would have gotten the reward $. she is a crazy bag lady who keeps everything she finds, including old license plates. You expect her to make an honest attempt to find the owner? It amounts to theft??? I can guarantee you if i was in that position I would go find the lady and give her some more money. Is she "owed" the money? No. Would it be the right thing to do to give her more than $80? I think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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