To the editor:

Years ago, a chair vanished from my front yard. Not just any chair — a rather dignified wingback that was destined for a Boston apartment. We left it outside for friends to pick up, stepped inside for a moment, and — poof — it was gone. I assumed someone mistook it for a curbside freebie, so I wrote a letter to the local paper. Miraculously, the chair reappeared, and my faith in humanity was temporarily restored.

Fast forward to Friday, Aug. 29. Déjà vu. We had just had our driveway redone (shout-out to the stellar crew at Dartmouth Stone — it looks fantastic). They left behind a piece of equipment — the Wacker Yellow Plate Compactor — leaning casually against our stone wall. When they returned, however, it too had vanished into the great beyond.

So, if someone out there mistook this hard-working hunk of machinery for a giveaway, consider this your gentle nudge: it’s not. Kindly return it either to Dartmouth Stone or to my house at 1157 Russells Mills Road. No questions asked! Just like the chair, we’re hoping this story has a happy ending.

Kate Fentress