Happy ending fits story like a glove

The great glove caper is solved.

A Charleston public schoolteacher came forward Monday to say she has the missing opera glove that was lost during a promotional event for George Clooney's new movie "Leatherheads."

Sheri Belk, a teacher at Buist Academy, said she's the mystery woman "in the purple windbreaker."

Charleston's part of the story begins after the glove's owner, Tara Lowrance, told her story to the Salisbury (N.C.) Post newspaper.

Lowrance, an extra in "Leatherheads," went with friends April 2 to meet Clooney at the Salisbury train depot. She was dressed in period clothing, including a vintage dress, hat, and full-length opera gloves.

Clooney showed up to sign a football, a Time magazine with his likeness on the cover, and a banner that Lowrance spent five hours making. The only trouble was, Lowrance was having problems juggling the football, magazine and pen with her gloves on. She turned to the lady on her left, Belk, and asked her to stick one of the gloves in her pocket. They'd been chatting all morning.

Belk had been in North Carolina that week visiting a friend while on spring break, and they wanted to see Clooney, too. After the signing, people went their separate ways.

Lowrance's story of the lost glove was reprinted in The Post and Courier last week. Belk didn't know about the missing glove quest until a co-worker told her the story had made the papers.

On Monday, Belk called Lowrance to say the glove soon would be in the mail back to North Carolina. "She was ecstatic," Belk said.

Reach Schuyler Kropf at 937-5551 or skropf@postandcourier.com.