The kindness of strangers: two wedding rings mysteriously switched on St. Patrick's Day

CBC Radio One's The Early Edition is asking listeners to share their stories of kindness from strangers for a series that runs on Thursday mornings.

This week's story is a fairy tale out ofEast Vancouver. It took place six years ago at the annual St. Patrick's Day Pogues Tribute, shortly after Karen and Brian Campbell were married.

Dear stranger,

We've never actually met but we were in the same placeat the same time.

My husband Brian and I, both avid Pogues fans, went to the annual St. Patrick's Day Pogues Tribute show at the Wise Hall six years ago.

Brian was clapping after one of the songs as one does when his wedding ring flew off his finger. We'd been married less than a year at that point.

We immediately dropped to the floor, frantically searching in the dark through piles of green sparkles and shamrocks, spilt beer and other St. Patrick's day paraphernalia.

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After a few seconds, I felt the ring on the floor. I picked it up, gave it back to Brian and we continued on with our night.

Flash forward to the next morning, I wake up and hear my husband screaming.

Brian holds out his hand he's wearing the wrong wedding ring.

I just start laughing hysterically because I don't know how to process the situation. It was just ridiculous.

What are the chances that another wedding ring happen to be on the floor there at the same time and fit my husband's finger?

We went back to the pub to drop off the ring we'd found and leave our contact information, on the off chance that the right ring may turn up.

But we didn't really expect to ever find it at that point.

A day later, I got a call.

Someone had returned our ring and picked up theirs.

We never did find out who you are or what your story is but we think about this astonishingVancouver coincidence every St. Patrick's day.

Over the years, we've imaginedwhat you must be like and how your experience that night might be similar to ours.

Whoever you are, we're grateful we managed to switch the rings back and hope you have a chuckle at the story as we do every once in a while.

Yours,

Karen and Brian Campbell

If you have a story about the kindness of strangers, e-mailThe Early Editionat earlyed@cbc.ca.