Stupid shoulder angel

[Numbers]

Earlier today I was in the laundry room in my apartment building to buy a can of soda from the machine. It wouldn't take my dollar, so I started straightening it on the top edge of the machine. It was then that I saw a money clip with a few bills folded inside.

Curiosity piques, I checked if I was alone and glanced through the other bills. On the outside was a $1, so I figured it was just someone doing their laundry. I flipped to the other bill, another $1. The next, a $20. Huh, that's interesting. I flipped to the next, it was a $100. In disbelief, I flipped to the next and last, another $100.

So there I was, holding a money clip with $220 in it that I found on top of a soda machine. Then I noticed a name on the money clip. Ralph. Now the lost money had a name. Damn it all.

So I went to the leasing office, and said, "I can't believe I'm doing this, but someone in our building named Ralph lost around $200 dollars. Do you know how I can get in touch with him?" The leasing agents, probably in shock that somebody was actually returning the money, searched briefly in their computer, said they didn't know who Ralph was, and that I should just keep it until someone went to the office and claimed it, and they'd let me know.

I go back to my apartment, figuring that Ralph would give it up as lost and chalk it up as a life experience. An hour later I get a call from the office saying that Ralph was there. I go down, and sure enough, it's a blue collar worker, a maintenance guy of some sort, dirty hands, and he even had "Ralph" stitched onto his shirt. He was thrilled, probably shocked I didn't take it and run. He even offered me the $20 as a reward, but I refused.

Karma damn well better keep this in mind.

What would you have done?

[TheEschaton]

The same thing. Good work.

-TheE-

[DeV]

That was cool as hell of you.

I would have done the same.

[The Ponzzz]

Whelp, I've lost $300 when my wallet dropped out of my back pocket after leaving the grocery store. The wallet was returned with all my credit cards and cash stolen. This event reminds me how cruel the world can be and that I don't believe in karma. I would have kept it.

[Stretch]

Do the right thing.

Not just words written on a company banner.

Good for you.

[Back]

Bravo of course.

Whats interesting is that it was the name that got you. Suddenly, it had identity. It wasn’t just some anonymous loser, but a real person.

[Artha]

Excellent work.

[Skeeter]

I'd probably do the same thing now. Back in the day I would've taken it.

[Ignot]

I would take it but I know that's wrong. Good job.

[Stanley Burrell]

Yeah. All three superintendents would've suddenly turned into Ralphs in my old apartment.

There's probably more accountability in the city, or something.

[Kuyuk]

Grats.

I always felt bad for people who lost important shit.


K.

[Kranar]

That's a great story man, good stuff.

[Numbers]

So, another one of these situations has crept up on me, but this current one I'm still deciding over.

The story is, I got my Nintendo Wii modded by a guy who does them professionally in California. All I had him do was install a modchip on it (which is immoral in the first place, I know,) and send it back. He charged $50 for it, and I'm sure he makes good money off of doing these console mods. It most likely takes him 15 or 20 minutes to install one of these chips. Anyway, I got my Wii back last week, works fine, seems like he did a good job.

Today I get another package from him. I pretty much knew what it was the second I saw his name on the return address, and sure enough, it looks like he mistakingly sent me somebody else's Wii. And I've already tested, and it's got a modchip in it. And I also know that it's a newer Wii by referencing the serial number, so it's got better and more reliable parts in it than my rickety old launch-day Wii. Plus, the modchip installed on the newer Wii's are better than the ones used on the older ones.

So, here's my dilemma. Do I call the guy up and let him know that he sent it to me, and that I'll ship it back if he pays shipping? Do I not call him at all and keep it? If I do keep it, I'd give my older Wii to my mother, and keep the newer one for myself.

Right now I'm leaning towards this: Wait a week or two, and then e-mail him saying that he sent me a second Wii, that I don't know who it was intended for, and offer to buy it off him at the normal price. The guy is pretty much a professional and has a good reputation in the modding scene, so I'm guessing he's already replaced the misplaced Wii.

I have no intention of reselling it (a pre-modded Wii can fetch upwards of $300 to $400 easy.) If I do end up keeping it/buying it from him, it will end up going to my mother.

[Gan]

That was cool as hell of you.

I would have done the same.

x2

[Skeeter]

I'd call the guy and let him know you have it.

[Latrinsorm]

Do I call the guy up and let him know that he sent it to me, and that I'll ship it back if he pays shipping?Yeah.

[War Angel]

If the guy is a professional, he'll have records as to what shipped where, and you don't wanna be caught looking like a DB, doing the Butthead laugh when he contacts you regarding the item, it'd be best to shoot him an e-mail and ask him if it was a freebie or something, allowing him to own up to his mistake. If he doesn't wanna claim his mistake, or the item has already been replaced, or if he just doesn't know what the hell you're talking about, you've still done the right thing, and cleared your conscience. Just my two cents.

[diethx]

It's a good thing you did. I'd have done the same thing these days, although 6 or 7 years ago that shit would've gone into my pocket, heh.

I've had similar things happen to me before, and i've gone both ways. The first time, I was pulling up to the bank drive thru ATM to get some cash out for dinner about 5 years ago. The chick in the SUV in front of me pulled away from the ATM, so I pulled up, only to see she had taken her card and receipt, and left her $60 in the machine. I waited there until she pulled out of the parking lot and drove down the road, and then I pocketed it and left lol. I totally would've given it to her, had she actually realized and came back, but I wasn't going to chase her down the street.

More recently, I was at the walk-up ATM at the Wachovia down the road, and I saw that someone had left their card in the machine. I totally could've taken out some cash, but instead I had the machine spit it out and brought it to the customer service desk inside. Turns out it was a poor old man who couldn't see very well that left the card.