Reaping crap since 2002

This morning I had to stop by our bank ATM to make a deposit.  I grabbed an envelope and filled it out; put the transaction paperwork in the envelope stuck my card into the machine.  The screen, which normally displays instructions on entering a PIN remained blank.  I finally noticed that the money distribution area was blinking and the screen said, “Please take your cash”.  I pulled the money from the machine and counted out $60.00!  I looked all around me to see if there was a car waiting to get the money earlier forgotten and there was no one but me.  Sigh.  I wanted to keep that $60 in the WORST way.

I finished my own transaction, looked at the auto bank hours and determined I had 20 minutes before they opened.  I drove to the nearest coffee drive-through and argued with myself the whole time. Who would know if I kept that money?  It’s almost nearly the same as if I had found it blowing around in the street.  We could really use an extra $60.  It serves the person right, being in such a hurry they forget the cash they stopped at this very machine to get.

Still, I couldn’t keep it.  If it had been me and I had accidentally left $60 in the machine, I’d be frantic and angry and would most assuredly NOT get it back.  So, after getting my coffee, I drove back to the bank drive-through and asked for a manager.  I told my story and asked if there was ANY way to know who left their cash in the machine.  The banker said there really was NO way to know but they would take the money, log it, hold on to it and hope the owner of the funds called or stopped by to inquire if anyone turned it in.  She took the money and I went on my merry way confident that I had done the right thing and happy that the owner of the lost money could get it back if they just called or stopped by.  Yay me!

Later this afternoon I stopped by our building’s convenience store and bought $4.74 worth of stuff.  I gave the guy a $10 and he gave me a quarter back and I took my stuff upstairs.  As I was putting things away I realized I was owed $5!  I called downstairs and told him what had happened.  He said to come downstairs.  When I got there he showed me that on the receipt he had keyed that I had given him a $5. I said I had given him a $10.  He kind of got snippy and said there was really no way to prove what I said but since I was a good customer (for 5 years!) he would give me the benefit of the doubt and give me $5.  He did and I walked away feeling like I’d just kicked this guy’s puppy.

You reap what you sow?