A hat [return] trick

I've mentioned once or twice that I pick up orphaned clothes off the street and rescue them.  So, perhaps you can imagine my apprehension when I got the following text right before Christmas:

This is Bob [not real name], your neighbor. June shared your contact. I wondered if you could help me. Georgina [not real name] my wife had a ski hat very similar to yours and she lost it. She and I have been looking all over for a replacement. She was given it as a gift and I was trying to find her a replacement for a gift, but I can't find one. Do you know where you purchased it? Thanks for thinking about it. Any leads would be more helpful than google or any of the other search engines I have used. I hope you and your family are otherwise well. Thanks.

Oh, geezy peezy:  I'd been caught.  I had a strong suspicion I knew which hat he was asking about, largely because I only had one hat that was notable; it was a multicolored hat I'd found a year-ish ago at the local tennis courts, sitting there all by itself.  It was awfully nice of him not to accuse me of stealing it, I figured.  I re-read the text and saw the line about "Do you know where you purchased it?", and it struck me that maybe he actually thought I did buy it.  Huh.  I wrote back:

Bob, what did/does the hat look like? Georgina is welcome to the hat; I have several hats, and can gladly spare it! I didn't purchase any of my hats-- I tend to pick up hats from the street (etc) that are abandoned (often, left behind and rain drenched); I launder them and keep them or pass them along. It's even possible the hat Georgina is missing is one I rescued. All the more reason to return/give it to you!

Then I ducked and waited for the "how dare you"s to fly.  Instead, I got this.

Thanks so much for texting back. I am so glad you are out saving hats and even better reducing consumption. You definitely may have saved Georgina's. I have to find a picture, but I can send you one soon. If you have the hat and I got it back for her for Christmas, it would be a tour de force gift. If you are the finder, I would definitely come up with some kind of finders fee. Thanks again!!

Off the hook!  He eventually did find a picture; she was wearing the hat I figured he was talking about on the very tennis courts where I'd found it.  Golden!  So I told him I'd swing by. He was effusive; it was the day before Christmas, and he had a special gift on the way for his wife!

 Thanks so much. . . . you can put in mailbox if I am not home. She is away for the day. So it will not take away the surprise. I feel a little " Gift of the Magi"esque. Have a wonderful holiday and safe trip back into town.

And then after Christmas . . . 

She fortunately did not even move us south to warmer weather to complete the O'Henry trick in gift of the Magi.

Look at that smile!

I'm so happy! Thanks for the cheery photos!

Even though he was very happy, I still feel a little guilty about snagging the hat and being the possible reason she'd been separated from her fave hat for so long.  And, extra fortuitously, I got a couple of lovely knit hats for Christmas, so I'm perfectly delighted to send my foster hat back home to its forever family! 

Wearing many new hats all at once.
I'm rich in hats, for sure!