Last week I picked up some developing gear off Facebook Marketplace, and tucked away in one of the extra boxes was a small Paterson developing tank. I unscrewed the lid—just curious—and saw there was still film spiraled on the reel.

Even more surprising? It had images on it.

I couldn’t believe it. Did someone really develop this and just… forget about it? Or maybe it got lost in a move. Either way, there’s a real chance I might be the first person to ever see these photos. My mind immediately went to wild possibilities—maybe it’s lost history. The Babushka Lady’s angle showing flashes from the grassy knoll. Mallory and Irvine standing atop Everest. Some forgotten masterpiece.

Instead, it’s a St. Louis family’s holiday party from the 1950s.

Honestly? Still kind of magic.