This all happened without even thinking. I never even considered any other choice.

I was going into the Wawa this evening and laying on the sidewalk headed into the store in plain view under bright lights was $40. 2 twenties folded together. I could see it fluttering in the breeze from my car. It almost blew into the parking lot as I approached.

I picked it up and looked around. No one was in view. No one leaving at that moment a few people pulled up coming in. I gave the money to one of the clerks that I know very well and trust (she's as honest I am), put my name and number on it (if no one collects I want to GET IT BACK DAGNABBIT! 40 bucks is still 40 bucks)

The clerk told me she knew who it was probably. Some young women had just left minutes before who were clubbing tonight. One of them stuck her cash down her shirt... YIKES! I wouldn't mind meeting a woman who sticks money down her shirt and likes to go clubbing... of course if she did put the money in her top and it fell out so easily that would mean... I'm rambling... sorry.

Anyway... I am not looking for congratulations. I could have kept that money no questions asked. No one would have judged me for that. it never occurred to me. If it had been $5, or maybe $10 I would have kept it... but $40 is bit much. The few times I've had $40 in cash in my pocket there was a dang good reason for it and I wouldn't be happy to lose it... still... I wouldn't stick it in my shirt... it would get all sweaty. Most likely whoever lost it is never going to go back and expect it have been turned in.

Here I sit typing this... and I keep thinking maybe I could have just kept it. No one would ever know. I could buy a lot of coffee at the Wawa with $40... <sigh>. I think I imagined my father looking over my shoulder (when I turned in the money, NOT when I was imagining young women partying with money in their shirts). I know he wouldn't have kept it... I'll ask him hypothetically tomorrow and see if I made the correct decision.

p.s. Maybe instead of typing on a forum at 11pm on a saturday night I should be out "clubbing" looking for young women with money in their shirts... In my youth... in my youth. (I probably would have dropped $40 in the parking lot of the Wawa)

p.s.s. Word to the wise... don't stick your cash in your shirt. Not everyone is as trustworthy as myself.

-vern

It wasn't yours. I think it's as simple as that.

Although you're probably giving the clerk temptation - how much an hour does she get?

i looked up crazy, and many of the definitions seem to apply:

–adjective
3. Informal. intensely enthusiastic; passionately excited: crazy about baseball.
4. Informal. very enamored or infatuated (usually fol. by about): He was crazy about her.
5. Informal. intensely anxious or eager; impatient: I'm crazy to try those new skis.
6. Informal. unusual; bizarre; singular: She always wears a crazy hat.
10. having an unusual, unexpected, or random quality, behavior, result, pattern, etc.: a crazy reel that spins in either direction.
–noun
11. Slang. an unpredictable, nonconforming person; oddball: a house full of crazies who wear weird clothes and come in at all hours.
12. the crazies, Slang. a sense of extreme unease, nervousness, or panic; extreme jitters: The crew was starting to get the crazies from being cooped up belowdecks for so long.

... but none of these touch on morality, honesty or responsibility.

i don't know what stupid means, and naive people are just too stupid to be limited by what they can't do.

sorry i couldn't be of more help.
-jon

The question wasnt that noone would have noticed if you kepd it or not.
This mister noone isnt you .

It is your decission and you will sleep better and feel alright because you where honest and trustful and so at that time it was the right decission..
In general that is much more worth than 40 Dollars.

And if she doesnt want it back (not coming to look for it) you perhaps get the money back anyway, so...
So I wont think much about it. Your choice was the right one. Honesty is always better even if it wont turn out in the easiest way you can always live better with a honest yourself.
*Fuchur*

The money is yours...go get it. The girl will never call or return to the store and say 'Yes....I think I lost some money in your parking lot...did anyone turn it in?' Never. Besides, her Daddy prolly gave it to her, she could afford to lose it.

YOU did the right thing though...but the money now belongs to you, NOT the clerk. Give it a day (today) IF the chickypoo swallows her pride and calls the store, then maybe you'll get a call and a sweet 'thanky-mister' or something, but I doubt it.

I've done the same thing, and afterwards I always end up questioning the honesty of the 3rd party 'clerk'..

Keep 20 and give the other to a charity.

Just to be fair to the Wawa. I know for absolute certainty that money will be there with my name on it. I think a day at most would be long enough to wait. If I am told someone claimed the cash... I will believe them absolutely. I've been shopping there nearly everyday for ten years.

---------

I once got someone fired... that was a bit upsetting. A new clerk who didn't know me yet as a harmless regular customer verbally attacked me when I was looking at magazines late at night. She freaked me out a bit to be honest. Snuck up on me and said:



I mentioned it in passing to one of the managers. Just have a word with her. Ask her to take it easy. I didn't make a big deal out of it but since I would go in there a lot and buy the occasional magazine late at night to read at the local diner over a late meal... I didn't want her to be frightened of me all the time... or me of her... she had a knife! She was working in the deli... came out with a big knife... and yelled at me! (I didn't mention that part to the manager).

A few days later...



I try not to look like a shoplifter as much as possible now. I've even caught a few myself. They don't sell magazines anymore... because of all the shoplifters they said.

-vern

In this case, Id go for the trifecta..... is that a real word?

Haha, I do this all the time. When I was in college, I worked as a store detective at a department store. I spent most of the day "pretending" to shop. Ever since then, I've been subconscious about how I appear while shopping... probably makes me look more suspicious now that I think about it. :-)

Wow.. So you can't honestly purchase a magazine anymore? And, if your going to shoplift, you have to hang out in front of the magazines?

Well it's official! I've earned my karma for the week. The young lady who dropped the money did return for it today. She did not think there was a chance in hell it would have been turned in but she figured it was worth a shot and she was very appreciative. Unfortunately she got to the club and couldn't get in because she had no money.

I know this is a silly small thing that happens... but it still feels good when it works out.

It is very ironic when I think about it now. My Wawa is a hangout for "panhandlers" and "con artists". People park their cars and tell anyone who will listen some sob story about running out of gas, having no money... and they are from PA... or lower Delaware... and need cash for gas to get home... blah blah... happens at least 2 or 3 times a month. The one time it would have really paid off and the usual suspects took the night off. I've started to recognize the same people coming back and running out of gas at the same Wawa... that's definately a tip off to something funny going on.


-vern

So Vern, was she cute? Did you get her number?

As I was raised, trying to give the money back is the right thing to do. I think it is one of those things referred to as "Laying up treasure in heaven". Especially if you aren't trying to get some kind of credit. That said, $40 is very tempting...good for you Vern!

Did not get her number. Was she cute? At my age... and in my current financial situation... anyone in a dress... who shows an interest is as beautiful as Katherine Zeta Jones... and I ask her to marry me immediately... which is usually why I don't get many second dates.



-vern

Don't look for Ms. Right. Just look for Ms. Right Now.

That sounds like a great idea... unfortunately I usually end up with "Ms. Ihavetowashmyhairtonightmaybenextweek"

-vern

Maybe you should call your stalker friend?

Totally off topic sorry but this reminds me of when I got my first TWO article at Indigo I had ordered/reserved it and they phoned I went there asked at the counter they gave it too me I opened it and looked inside walking away from the casher. Then in a moment of sure stupidity I walk right out of the store without paying for it!! About 20 feet outside the store I realized what I just did! paused, looked around heart in chest waiting for someone to crab my arm. Then turned arounf went back in and paid for it LOL.

Shoot, I've done that walking out of Walmart a few times. Go to the car, realize something was in the cart that didn't make it onto the belt (easy to do when you have two kids) and have to go back in to pay for it.

My favorite was at Target when I opened a bottle of soda to drink while I was walking around the store.. and the cashier was trying to tell me that it was shoplifting. I began to explain that it isn't shoplifting until I left the store or at least approached the exits without paying for it.

You might be surprised what that $40 buys you, even if it's not immediately apparent. An awful long time ago, I handed over £20 for a "meal deal" that was £9.99. I got my original note back in my change: £30.01. I had to wait before I could give the money back to the girl who actually served me, because a] I didn't want her to get in trouble if anyone else found out and b] I didn't trust anyone else to deal with it honestly. She was amazed at first, but then she got all weepy, and told me she'd have had to cover it out of her own pay.

Anyway, on subsequent visits, I noticed I seemed to be getting bigger servings than anyone else each time it was her looking after me. Eventually, a circumstance arose where it was blatantly obvious, so I casually mentioned it. We got chatting, exchanged numbers and so on. Even if you ignore the aftermath and just look at it in terms of the extra food I got over those few months, that £20 I could easily have kept more than paid for itself.

Actually, this thread has got me thinking. Perhaps I should dig out her number, and find out what she's doing now. Then I could sue her because I'm a real lard bucket, now...

Actually, Vern, I know you did the right thing. I would have done the same thing. Has to do with honor.

I live by a simple code, which honor (whic I define as Respect for others and yourself, Honesty, and Integrity) plays a large part.

And, however you define it (karma, kismet, brownie points...etc.) I believe you get back what you give.

Steve P.