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on my web page。 At the same time； I was facing the beginning of the school yearthe time of year when I am always busiest as a speaker。 So in the midst of everything else； I had to be flying around the country； giving speeches and workshops at dozens of colleges。 Sometimes I woke up in a different city each day。
Many of these were posted very late at night； from nondescript hotel rooms in strange cities； after long and exhausting days of lecturing； endless interviews； and innumerable phone calls。 Endless interviews； and innumerabel phone calls because on Wednesday； August 16； I went out to The Wall Street Journal box and I plopped my three quarters in； grabbed for the paper。 Flipped to the second section； and saw the words 〃Trash Into Quick Cash。〃 It was a short story about my adventure。 PAY DIRT！！
That day； my voice mail was deluged with calls from radio； newspaper； and television。 Calls included messages from both The Late Show with David Letterman and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno！ I did an interview with a reporter from the Associated Press wire that afternoon。 The reporter said that she'd write it up； and it would definitely be released to all California papers； and maybe to all national newspapers。
The next day； over 200 newspapers carried headlines similar to this one from The San Jose Mercury News； 〃Man 1； Bank 0。〃
It created an enourmous media storm in my life。 Over the next three weeks I did interviews on NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw； Hard Copy； ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings； the Montel Williams show； CNBC's The Money Club； Good Morning America； and all of the top San Francisco news stations。
Reporters were also trying to interview my bank； which would only reply …〃No comment。〃
During each interview； I was always asked； 〃Patrick； you have the money locked in a safe deposit box。 What are you going to do next？〃 I would reply； 〃I'd like the CEO of first interstate bank to take me to lunch； where I'd give him back the check。 He'd give me an official letter from the bank； documenting that I'd returned money I had a legal claim to； and that I had not attempted to fraud the bank。 Then together we'd donate the money to charity （since it was legally mine； but ethically the banks）。
During her news broadcast； Dianne Sawyer commented； 〃Patrick； I wouldn't count on that lunch。〃 And she was right。
Instead； I was served with legal papers that were calling me into court to decide who the money legally belonged to。
At this point； knowing that I wasn't out to keep the money； I called up the bank's senior legal counsel and told him I wanted to give the money back。 〃I'm the world's easy guy to get the money back from … all you have to do is write me an official letter from the bank that addresses this fiasco from a fair point of view。 I invited him to meet with me； to draft such a letter and come to a resolve； and we did。
To again attempt to shorten a long story； the bank continued for another month to make very funny errors。 Funny things continued to happen as a result of ongoing media interviews。 Even had a First Interstate employee begin to offer me 〃inside information〃 via anonymous email tips。 After a month of negotiations； I got my letter and was ready to return the money。
END Part VI
Part VII： Updates
Patrick Combs is available as keynote speaker for your next event。 Let him inspire your audience with the story and discussion of his 95；000 Adventure。 He is also the author of MAJOR IN SUCCESS： Make College Easier； Beat The System & Get A Very Cool Job （Ten Speed Press）。 All contents on this page ？ 1995； By Patrick Combs。 All rights reserved。 goodthink
95；093。35 Adventure； Part VII Ending the FICAL Matter
It was a wild scene retrieving the cashiers check from my safe deposit box。 The press again returned to cover the return of the money。 This caused a snafu getting into my final meeting with the legal eagle。 But finally； on the same day the OJ Simpson verdict came back； Not Guilty； I sat down at a conference room table to settle this matter。
The lawyer and I had a short checklist to work through： sign the agreement； provide each other with originals； confirm that I had returned the checkand； last： 〃Have you brought the two checks for the interest and the closing of your account？〃 I had。
I took the checks out of my bag。 Although the words 〃non…negotiable〃 didn't take up more than an inch in the top right…hand corner of each one； they stood out like sore thumbs。
I truly wish a photographer had been there to capture the look on Charles Ward's face。 It was classic。
He tilted his head to confirm that the words he was seeing were real。 And then his head started shaking no； and his mouth said； 〃Patrick； Patrick； Patrick。。。。This is a problem。 This is a problem。 What are we going to do here？〃 His head kept shaking back and forth。
I held back my smile and said； 〃Don't worry about those words； Charles。 The words 'non…negotiable' on the face of a check don't invalidate it。 It's still a perfectly legal instrument。 That's my point。〃
I left the bank and walked toward my car。 As I passed someone sitting at a restaurant table in the sun； reading a newspaper； my gaze leapt to the huge headline across the top： 〃95；000 of Fun Coming To An End。〃 Unbelievable！ And it was on the second page of the edition that I later learned had sold in record numbersthe paper with the front…page headline； 〃O。J。 Not Guilty。〃
I felt like I'd won the lottery。
I have only this left to express。 If you come to a place where you need to stand up for yourself； I suggest employing five tools： education； courage； kindness； prayer； and a sense of humor。
**My 95；000 adventure led me to being hired by a television show
The segments I did for Hard Copy led me to being offered a job as on…air…talent/producer for RealTV； a new show premiering this fall 。 For instance； I went with a hidden camera and busted rip…off carwashes。
**I tell my 95；000 adventure in a 60 keynote presentation
I make my living as a keynote speaker and I tell my 95；000 adventure in a 60 minute talk。 If you'd like me to see me present this story or any of my other motivational topics to your organization； company or college； email me for the details。
**More adventures you can read
I've written 22 more of my adventures since I've completed this story。 Read about the baby I delivered on the sidewalk； the ass I tried to kick； the hidden camera stories I've done for television； the train I jumped； and many more。 If you don't read them now； bookmark my adventures page and read them next。
** Check it out！
I hope you'll check out more of my website。 It is a site for motivation； inspiration； careers & personal development； nutrition； health； internships； adventure and money。 Great for students； entrepreneurs； job seekers； adventurers； speakers； authors and those who wish to excel。
The Adventure Continues
November 15； 1995
I gave back the money about six weeks ago； but the incident is still making waves in my life。 Actually； I'm a bit taken aback by the effects that senseless deposit is having on my life。
I have been alerted by many In