Yesterday I was meeting some friends at the Mall of America which is at the South end of the Minneapolis LRT line. I got on the line at the stop a few blocks from my house not far from the North end of the line and rode it down to the Mall. When I got there I realized that I didn't have my cell phone and got back on the train. I looked all around my seat and didn't see it and was worried it must have slipped out of my pocket getting onto or off of the train. I rode it all the way back to my stop convinced that it was lost and probably being used for arranging drug deals. To make matters worse I've stored almost all of the phone numbers of friends, family and even business associates on that phone and some of those numbers were going to be very hard to replace. When I got back to my stop almot 40 min. after I first got on the train, I got out and started looking around in a panic. There were some teenagers messing around on their bikes on the platform which also wasn't a good sign. ONe of the them comes up to me and ask me what I'm looking for. I say cell phone and then he says you mean this one and pulls out my phone. It had fallen out of my pocket and had slipped under a bench and he heard it ringing. He found it and checked the numbers and even tried calling my home number and it being a holiday decided to hang out for awhile to see if the owner came back. That restored my faith in humanity and in teenagers.
Wow...awesome story! I think the vast majority of people are like that, it's just a vocal set of assholes in this world that makes one feel they're not. For example, next time I'm in traffic and I notice someone racing up to the front of the line because they think their time is more valuable than mine, I'll think of the vast majority of people who are patiently waiting in line.
...then the kid gets arrested for riding his bike in a no bking area and you are called in to identify him in a lineup. You, being an honest person, identify him for the police. Three strikes. He goes to prison where he gets out after 18 years. The only think he thinks about while pining in his cell, your phone number.
My cell fell off at a Texans game. This guy picked it up and called the numbers stored until he found me. I had it back with a few days. Really nice guy. We sent him a gift certificate.
I was thinking about giving him a buck or two but wasn't sure. What do the rest of y'all think. Should virtue be its own reward or would you give someone a few dollars for doing something good?
I would've given the kid money. And I'm not talking $5, either. Stuff like that should be rewarded so that hopefully the kid will remember in the future.
I doubt a kid like that is going to have to remember to act like that in the future. People who wait around for someone to come looking for a cell phone are not interested in getting a tangible reward, imo, they just know it is the right thing to do. The best reward for him is that he knows that someone is very thankful to him.
I agree. It's probably too late now. $1 or $2 would have been an insult to the kid just above not giving him anything.
I lost my wallet once at a parking lot and some lady return it to my school without leaving her name. I wish I can find her and say thanks.
^ Is it that hard to believe it's real? I almost lost my wallet when I was trying on some pants. I came back 5 minutes later, and the clerk said someone found it in the changing room and she gave me my wallet back with all my cards and money still in tact. I'll admit some will act funny if it shines, looks green or looks gold. But most people will do the right thing in general, and they don't have that as their top priority.
I think the teens would have been delighted if you told them you wanted their names and addresses in case there were some unaccounted for minutes on your cell phone bill at the end of the month. Tell them that you would find them and expect payment in full. That would have been best reward of all.
