A Surprising Discovery
Returning home early from vacation, I found a massive hole in my backyard.
Ready to call the cops, I saw a shovel at the bottom, making me reconsider. “What is this?” I muttered, approaching the edge. At night, I set up watch and saw someone leap over the fence and drop into the hole.

Unexpected Encounter
I crept outside and confronted the digger, shining my phone’s flashlight down. To my shock, it was George, the guy who sold us the house. “Frank?” he said, equally surprised. “What are you doing here?” He explained, “My grandfather hid something valuable here. I thought I could dig it up while you were away.” George proposed a deal: help him dig, and we’d split whatever we found, fifty-fifty.

Digging for Treasure
We spent hours digging, sharing stories. George had lost his job, and his wife had cancer. “This treasure,” he said, “could change everything for us.” As we dug, George shared stories about his grandfather, who distrusted banks and buried valuables. Despite hitting only rocks, our camaraderie grew.

A New Friendship
At dawn, with nothing found, George looked defeated. “I really thought… I was so sure…” He apologized, and we filled in the hole. When we arrived at George’s home, his wife Margaret was worried. “George, you didn’t.” We reassured her, and she offered to pay for yard repairs. I declined, joking about installing a pool instead. As I drove home, I felt a sense of connection. George’s hope had been infectious. I told my wife Karen everything. She smiled, “Only you, Frank, would spend all night digging for treasure with a stranger.” We decided to invite George and Margaret over for dinner, realizing the true treasure was the new friendship we had forged.