I'm honest! And I can't figure out why I'm frequently presented with freakin' circumstances where I'm tested!
Goes back years. Once, I'd moved into a new neighborhood and bought $100 of groceries in a supermarket I'd never been in, from a cashier I'd never seen before. When I was loading the bags into my car, there, on top of one, was the check I'd written. I'd chatted up the cashier and she hadn't picked it up. Took it back to her.
Awhile back, before I quit smoking, I'd bought some stuff and 2 packs cigs only to drive home and they weren't in the bag - so back to the drugstore (smoker's gotta have their cigs!) and the cashier who said "oh, I did put them in the bag". I was tired and uncharacteristically short with him (he was one of the store managers and I know sees me in there all the time) saying "NO, you didnt!" He gave me another two packs and as I turned to leave he said, "I put them in the bag". I was pissed but just left - only to drive home and find the first two packs had fallen out of the bag onto the floor of my car.
Several days later I was paying another cashier and saw the manager working in an aisle, so I bought 2 packs of cigs and approached him on the way out, saying "I apologize for being rude the other day. I found the cigs when I got home. Here" and handed him the cigs. He broke into a big smile and said, "No, no you keep them". Now whenever he sees me in the store it's "Hi, how's it going" and I'm as pleasant back to him. Amusingly, shortly after, one of the cashiers who knows me from coming in there for so many years asked "Was it you that returned the cigarettes?" Yeah, I said and she too gave me a big smile. Sheesh! Is basic honesty that rare?
Not three days ago I counted out $300 in $20s to give to the carpenter for materials he'd bought for my ongoing home improvement project. I'd already previously counted it out 3 times (I'm clerically challenged) but when he counted it he said "here, you gave me $20 too much". "Count it again" I said, he did, said "$320" and handed me a $20. So I took it and said "Hand me the money and let me count it again" There was $280 and I gave him back the $20.
So, on those 3 incidents alone I "lost" $130. But that wouldn't have nearly paid for the good feelings I had about having done the right thing.
But $140k? Man, that'd be a tough test!
