Thought I'd share this with ya'll.

I went to Home Depot tonight to buy some oak. It was ~6 PM so the place was pretty much dead, and my mind was kind of wandering while I picked out the stuff I needed. I bought everything through the self-checkout line and, noticing that I was low on cash, I got $20 cash back. I was in and out of the store in 10 minutes, tops.

...or so I thought.

About half a mile away the "oops" light went on in my brain: I never picked up the $20 from the self-checkout machine. Damn. The self-checkout machine spits the cash out in a little tray down below my knees - I honestly just forgot about it while I was checking out.

I figured at that point the $20 was long gone, but for good measure I'd swing back or else I'd always wonder. The store was really dead...who knows, maybe it was still there. Counting the lights, traffic, etc, I got back to the store about 10 minutes after I'd left. I ran in, looked...the cash tray was empty. I asked the cashier in a rhetorical tone, "Hey, uh, I left my cash back in the tray on number 4 there...I don't suppose anyone found anything?"

She looked at me with an expression that said, "Would YOU pass up a $20?" and then answered, "Nope, sorry."

At that point, I knew it was gone.

I said, "Nevermind" and started to walk out. I took a few steps before a little girl, maybe 10 or 12 years old, said, "Excuse me? I think I have your money." I turned around, then the cashier turned around. We both looked at the little girl, probably both wondering why a little girl would be getting cash back anyway. She had a bag with her, like a backpack thing. She reached into it, pulled out a pink zipper purse, then pulled out two $10 bills and said, "I found them over there" and pointed to the machine I'd used. She handed the bills to the cashier, who then handed them to me.

It was touching, it really was.

I took one of the bills and handed it back to her then said, "For your honesty, I think you deserve half." She was elated, the cashier was dumbfounded, and the only thing I regret is that I didn't give her the entire $20.

Nice story

That's a good story.

I think you did the right thing by giving the little girl half the money. That probably validated and taught her more about the virtue and rewards of honesty than by giving her all of the money.

The honesty of a kid you don't even know can reaffirm your faith in humanity.

When I first saw the title of this thread, for some reason I thought it was going to be about Shelly Winters.

I would have called the Cops and have her charged. She should have turned it in. The fact she had it in her purse was motive enough to think she was goign to steal the moeny. It would have been a good lesson for her to end up in Juvi hall for a few days...

yeah I am kidding

x2

That's exactly what I was thinking.

Excellent story. Wish more people did the right thing like you both did.

When I was 16, I took my old beater to get some gas at a gas station. I pre-paid for my gas in cash, but with a large bill. When I walked out I noticed that the store clerk gave me $20 more than he was supposed to. The two $20 bills just stuck together, I suppose.

I brought the cash back to the clerk. He thanked me and asked me if I smoked. "Yes, I smoke" I replied. From then on until I was 18 he would sell me smokes when I came in, along with other employees that worked there. Years later I met him again randomly at a bar and he bought me a few beers.

Today I was at a 4-Way Stop and decided to let the car to my right go first... The gal gave a "waving" thank you sign as she started to go... At that point, I stepped hard on my gas pedal... She crashed into me at the middle of the intersection... I had the "WTF" look and started to yell at her while giving her obscene jestures... She then got out of her car and yelled, "NO FUCKEN SEX FOR YOU TONITE!!!" Then we both got into our cars and drove to our house... Gotta love pissin' off the wifey once in a while!!! Hhahahahaha...

Anyhoo, great story PDX

- airbutchie