It started, as so many things do these days, with a lost phone. A nice young lady named Courtney was traveling in a New York City cab. Upon leaving the cab, however, she left—as so many people do these days—her iPhone behind.
Usually, young Courtney's story would have a sad ending: the phone found, its precious contents wiped clean, its skeletal hardware sold on the black market to the highest bidder.
But this story is not sad. This story is awesome. Because after Courtney left the cab, and her phone along with it, the vehicle was hailed by a guy named Frank. Frank found Courtney's phone. He examined it, trying to determine who its owner might be. And after some investigation—phones, after all, containing much of our personal data—he came to a wondrous conclusion: The phone in question belonged to Courtney Love. Yes. That Courtney Love.
Oh, and the Frank in question? That would be Frank Bruni, op-ed columnist for The New York Times. Because New York.
So, say you're Frank Bruni, gentleman and Timesman, suddenly in possession of Courtney Love's iPhone. What do you do then? How do you, you high-profile Good Samaritan, make sure that Courtney Love's lost iPhone is returned to her?
You tweet, obviously.
Weird: the iPhone left in my yellow cab last night clearly belongs to @courtney (Courtney Love). Trying to return. Anyone? Courtney?
— Frank Bruni (@FrankBruni) November 21, 2013 You also get your researcher to help you figure out the phone's provenance.
@samdolnick My ace researcher @IsabellaMoschen deduced from texts coming in beneath the locked home screen that it was/is Courtney's.
— Frank Bruni (@FrankBruni) November 21, 2013 You also get in touch with Courtney's manager.
@JPeters1221 I'm wholly serious but have just heard from her manager, so all is well.
— Frank Bruni (@FrankBruni) November 21, 2013 You also get in touch with Courtney (@courtney) herself.
@Courtney Hi there. Just spoke with your manager, someone's en route to get your phone. Will DMS this to you as well.
— Frank Bruni (@FrankBruni) November 21, 2013 And then! You are rewarded for your Internet-aided heroics.
@FrankBruni frank you're a gem, what a small world can we exchange dms?
— Courtney Love Cobain (@Courtney) November 21, 2013 We are all rewarded for your Internet-aided heroics.
@FrankBruni wow you really do have my phone at the @nytimes yikes please don't read it Bwahaa this is hilarious xc
— Courtney Love Cobain (@Courtney) November 21, 2013 
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