A case of extreme honesty?

First, I am Canadian and this takes place in Eastern Canada.

So my wife and I are at the local Sobeys (grocery store) picking up a few last minute items for the weekend. We are in line at the cash register behind 2 people, a guy who is paying for his stuff, and a woman who has her stuff on the counter just waiting for the other guy to leave.

We start putting our stuff on the counter and I notice that the woman has her wallet out and is getting her money ready. I don't know why I noticed, I just did. She moves up as they start scanning her items and I notice that she dropped a 20 dollar bill. She didn't notice, no one else around noticed.

without even a second thought, I tapped my wife on the shoulder and asked her to tell the young woman she dropped something. She does, the woman sees the 20 and makes a joke about not really needing it but not wanting to litter, and picks it up, thanks us, and goes on her way.

nothing unusual to me about this.

When we are ready to pay, the cashier says "Wow, that was a case of extreme honesty right there." I respond: "Oh? How so?", and he explains that he wouldn't have told her, and most people probably wouldn't. I joked about how I thought about it for a second, looked her over and figured losing 20 bucks actually would effect this woman.

I was lying, that never even popped into my head, not once did I contemplate taking that 20 for myself. Sure I could use it, sure no one would know, except I would know.

The part that confuses me is that people consider this extreme. Extreme? Is it really that extreme for me to return something to someone? Is it THAT out of the norm that the cashier would almost be shocked?

What would you do in my position?

Keep or return?

what people its just one guy working a till that you lied to that makes him think that probably most people are like him and would have taken the money

I would have done the same and immediately told the lady she'd dropped it. Heck, I've told people on the subway that their wallet was too visible. One lady I saw had a wad of cash sitting right on top of her open purse and I pointed it out to her. She seemed pretty grateful, too. I can't imagine someone NOT telling someone they'd dropped money but.. that's just me.

I would have done the same as you. I think the person at the register was a twerp - the type that puts his own needs ahead of others and I don't feel your honesty was extreme at all. But I am an honest person.

Cashier was probably a sociopath.

Originally posted by phishyblankwaters
First, I am Canadian and this takes place in Eastern Canada.

So my wife and I are at the local Sobeys (grocery store) picking up a few last minute items for the weekend. We are in line at the cash register behind 2 people, a guy who is paying for his stuff, and a woman who has her stuff on the counter just waiting for the other guy to leave.

We start putting our stuff on the counter and I notice that the woman has her wallet out and is getting her money ready. I don't know why I noticed, I just did. She moves up as they start scanning her items and I notice that she dropped a 20 dollar bill. She didn't notice, no one else around noticed.

without even a second thought, I tapped my wife on the shoulder and asked her to tell the young woman she dropped something. She does, the woman sees the 20 and makes a joke about not really needing it but not wanting to litter, and picks it up, thanks us, and goes on her way.

nothing unusual to me about this.

When we are ready to pay, the cashier says "Wow, that was a case of extreme honesty right there." I respond: "Oh? How so?", and he explains that he wouldn't have told her, and most people probably wouldn't. I joked about how I thought about it for a second, looked her over and figured losing 20 bucks actually would effect this woman.

I was lying, that never even popped into my head, not once did I contemplate taking that 20 for myself. Sure I could use it, sure no one would know, except I would know.

The part that confuses me is that people consider this extreme. Extreme? Is it really that extreme for me to return something to someone? Is it THAT out of the norm that the cashier would almost be shocked?

What would you do in my position?

Keep or return?

I would have done the same thing in your position. Once I dropped money out of my back pocket that I was going to use to get my little cousin his birthday cake. All I had on me was that cash in my back pocket and thankfully someone quickly alerted me when they noticed I dropped it. My little cousin would have went without his birthday cake that day if the nice lady behind me didn't notify me.

I've found cell phones numerous times and I've gone through the phones contact list until I found the owner. I've also left my cell phone places and have it returned to me (although once someone stole my phone at the gym).

reply to post by TheBirdisDone

I don't feel your honesty was extreme at all

Me neither, I just found it funny that this happened on, oh I think it was saturday, and the friday before that I was here watching the video of those two girls who robbed the girl scout.

i'm glad people don't see this as extreme.

I've found cell phones numerous times and I've gone through the phones contact list until I found the owner.

I've returned an Iphone in a similar manner. Also way back in my younger years my friends and I found a wallet, just out in his backyard. They were quite angry when i refused to let them take the money, and instead, opted to ring each buzzer at the apartment complex until I found the owner.

Once I gave a bag with 10.000$ back that I found in the dump behind work.

Chased an old lady that lost 250$, a whole square started clapping, best feeling even


I sortof regretted the 10.000$ later as the guy didn't even thank me, but that's life.

its a pitiful sign of the times that you and your wifes actions are viewed by others as a " case of extreme honesty "

i would have hit back at the cashier - who , IMho - has clearly shown himself to have the potential for dishonesty

how ?

simples - double checking EVER transaction line of the sale, querrying any item i had any suspicion about , double checking all monoes given to him - and checking all change he gave .

hey - if he thought that theft by finding was ok - how can i trust him not to attempt to defraud me ???

and if the checkout supervisor noticed the delay - i wouldnt hesitate to tell them why i felt compelled to check every line of the transaction

reply to post by phishyblankwaters


Ahhhh, but you thought about how this may impact the person who loses it.
You thought about them, not yourself.
I won't call this extreme honesty as I do not believe there is any such thing.
there is only 1 degree of honesty, either yes or not.
I would have not taken the 20 because $20 can mean alot to some folks.

reply to post by phishyblankwaters


You know those self checkout jobbies in the grocery stores? I came up to one that had about 60 odd dollars in it that someone before me forgot (change) and handed it to the cashier at the head of the line. Boy I got some 'wtf is wrong with you' looks lol. So I'd have done the same thing as yourself. I wonder what the cashier had done with it in the end...

Originally posted by hhcore
reply to post by phishyblankwaters

 

You know those self checkout jobbies in the grocery stores? I came up to one that had about 60 odd dollars in it that someone before me forgot (change) and handed it to the cashier at the head of the line. Boy I got some 'wtf is wrong with you' looks lol. So I'd have done the same thing as yourself. I wonder what the cashier had done with it in the end...

That's a good point..sometimes returning something found..to someone who is not honest,doesn't pay in the end.

But at least you did the right thing,even if they did look at you all weird. Once many years ago ,I was grocery shopping with my young daughter, and I was going to buy her a doll that we had seen in the toy section. She had it in her hand when we got to the checkout, and i totally forgot about it,as I went through the cashing out of a large amount of groceries,as well as bagging them. As i pushed the cart down to the parking lot,I noticed it was in her hands,and knowing it was going to take awhile before I got to customer service,or another checkout, I decided to wait. It was extremely busy in the store that day.

Next time I was at this store, I took one of the dolls (still in package) to the checkout with me,and explained what happened, and that I would like to pay for the doll,but don't want to keep it.
The cashier looked at me like I was nuts, but it didn't matter.

I think some are surprised by honesty, but believe most people are honest. I have stolen a few things in my youth ,from the local candy store, as well as a few items of clothing in my teens,when we had no extra money for clothing,etc

It was still wrong,and I'm happy that it bothered me enough ,that I quit doing it. Some steal out of desperation, and others steal legally out of plain greed, though what they have is more than enough.

It is important to try and contact the rightful owner , or make sure the person you are handing it over to,can be trusted, especially with large amounts of cash.

I commend the Op for looking for the rightful owner of the wallet ,at such a young age...that's nice to hear.

If the person drops it in front of me I alert them to it or pick it up and hand it back, if I am walking down the street and find money laying there and no one is around I think of it as my lucky day. The exception to the later being a found wallet or purse that has ID in it that I am able to track down the owner then I make sure they get it back everything intact.

reply to post by hhcore



Sorry to bump this old thread but I'm very lazy when checking my "replies"

You know those self checkout jobbies in the grocery stores? I came up to one that had about 60 odd dollars in it that someone before me forgot (change) and handed it to the cashier at the head of the line.

That's where I wouldn't have given that money to the cashier because i know darn well it's going right into their pocket. In that case I really don't know what I would have done. I'd like to think, since I don't know who lost it, I'd donate it to the cancer society or something, but I might have spent it on beer too.

reply to post by phishyblankwaters


Yes, if I saw the person drop something I would tell them, Have done it for someone who dropped their credit card at card pay petrol pumps.

Though I have found a fiver in a self serve shop machine and kept that, the person was probably long gone.

So yes I would if I see the person drop it, but if it has been left and no way to find owner i keep it.

I've found a few tenners and fivers just on the floor. But i've no doubt lost my fair share to someone else too.

Return it.

I was at a Faire and went to the Ale Stand only to find something like eighty bucks on the ground in front of a woman who was sitting on the bar (this is not unusual). I picked it up and told her she had dropped it and she looked at me and said it wasn't hers. I was in a rush to get back to my job which was paying for my pass so I didn't discuss it further; just left. She didn't even offer to split it or take it to lost and found. Thing is, I was in dire straights at the time and could have really used the money.

C'est La Vie...I know for a fact that no matter how much in need I am that I would never take advantage of dropped/lost currency...unless the situation were completely helpless with regards to finding the true owner.