Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Mark Morton, owner of the Blue Bird Cafe was handed an envelope by an employee containing $675 which he laid on a back table where he was sitting around 3 p.m. A few moments later a man selling knives came into the restaurant and began to demonstrate his wares. Mark attempted to read some writing on one of the knives and told the salesman he needed to get his glasses which were in another room. When he returned the man and the money were gone.

Assuming the worst, Mark raced to the door and saw the salesman leaving in a vehicle with what he thought was a Florida license plate. He searched the restaurant to make sure the envelope had not been misplaced. After 45 minutes, assuming the knife salesman had taken the money, he called the Haleyville Police and reported the incident. A search was under way, both in the Haleyville area and across north Alabama. Feeling some anger at himself for leaving the envelope where it could be picked up, he had resigned himself he would never see the money again. Around six, his wife Pam, who had been to the Shoals for the afternoon, came in and confessed. Earlier, just as she was leaving, she had picked up the envelope to teach her husband a lesson. Now Mark is happy and not even angry at Pam. She made her point.