I went out to see Toy Story 3D with the boyfriend last night. As we went to pay and receive our tickets, I looked down and saw a twenty sitting on the ground. I asked him if it was his, and he said no, and I checked my wallet, and it wasn't mine either.
So, I picked up the twenty and gave it to the lady behind the counter. "Somebody dropped this. Could you hold onto it until somebody claims it?" She gave me this funny look, but took the money and put it under the counter. Who knows whether she kept the money or if somebody actually claimed it...
But anyway, the boyfriend was looking at me funny as well. "What?" I asked. He said, "Why didn't you just take that twenty?"
I was really disappointed. "Are you saying you would have?" And he said he would. I explained that I really would never do something like that. One time, I lost my wallet with more than $50 in there, and somebody actually returned it to the front desk. I realized there
are good people out there, so I just tried to be one of them. I wasn't happy that he would have taken the money for himself; he did nothing to deserve that money, anyways. I just feel people work for that money, why would I want to be one of those people who are just inconsiderate enough to take it?
So, if you were in that situation, would you have taken the money or returned it?
Comments (326)
If it's anything more than $10, I'll return it.
Return the money to who? If it was something that could be identified such as a wallet or purse, that's one thing, but this is a $20 bill with ZERO identification.
If you felt strongly about it, you should have left a note on the window of the movie booth stating if anyone lost money to contact you.
There is a 99.99% likelihood that NO ONE went to the movie booth to ask if anyone had turned in any lost money. Most likely either the ticket holder kept the money or the manager did at the end of the day.
The only time it makes sense to turn in unidentified money is if it's a huge amount, like an envelope filled with cash. Then you report it to police and if no one claims it in a set amount of time, it's yours.
I never take any lost money higher than any coin value so I probably would have done the same thing you did even if there wasn't a possibility of someone claiming it. I'd hate to think that I'm enjoying spending someone else's money while they're probably worried or upset because they lost it.
@salvatruca_stalking_havok13@xanga - what he said.
I would return it but if it is like a dollar or something less, I doubt many would attempt to find it. I remember a kid at my school when I was like around in the fifth grade returned a $100 bill that she found. I actually worked as a waiter once upon a time and accidentally jipped a woman of about three dollars and something cents. Good thing she was a regular and came in about a week later. It just feels good to give back something people have lost.
I would have returned it. What if a 10 year old just got a new 20$ bill for his birthday and lost it? I'd feel terrible!
Definitely would have tried to return it. Even if the ticket lady did keep it, that's on her conscience, not yours...you did the right thing.
if it was a wallet or anything that was more than just a bill, then i would definitely try to return it. if it's $20 or less, i would look around, ask people if it was theirs, etc, and if not, probably take it and donate it or something. i'm not sure what i would do if it was $50 or over
@SoullFire@xanga - Exactly.
Losing a wallet with $50 is a lot different than finding $50 laying on the ground. There is no way to contact the person who lost it unless you made the theatre make an announcement over an intercom that some sum of money was lost and to come to the counter if you lost money--but even then, do you know how many people would come running claiming to have lost money? If they could give you the code on the bill, then fine and dandy, but it's not realistic to expect to return the money to it's rightful owner.
Sounds like me and my boyfriend. I would return it, but he would have taken it. Sigh, men.
There was a Simpsons episode where they found a $100 bill. They put up a sign saying it was lost and found, and Moe came to claim it, but he had to identify it first.
Whose picture is on it?
Moe: Hmm... must be somebody famous... I'm guessing Hitler.
@SoullFire@xanga - I agree.
Its tough situation, cause u want to give it back but you can't ever tell if they will return it. like there is nothing u can really do about it.
I return the money to the front desk always..Unless I'm on the street in my naborhood...okay then I'd keep it since I have NO idea who it could be..and I'm not friends with anyone there and its huge..That would be the only case.
I'd definitely return it in case someone came back for it later.
Aw, that's really kind of you. I guess I would put it up on Craigslist and if no one contacted me for a week, then I would keep it. You could say "I was at a movie theater and found a missing $ 20", if you can tell me how much money and which theater.... Something like that. It has worked for me! I had a missing cat in my house for 2 weeks until someone claimed her. hehe :) I was super persistent... "What color were her eyes?? When does she usually like to go out? Which doctor does she have?" Just stuff like that.
I would have taken it. I'm broke!
If its inside somewhere and it's over ten I deffinitly take it back to the front and turn it in. If it's outside...I'll keep it. I once found 20$ in an empty parking lot.
I'm with averyswife. No matter what someone did with it after you trusted them with it, you did your best to see it safely back to the person it belonged to.
i dont know. like they were all saying...if it's in a wallet or purse and has identification, then you defintely turn it in. But I found a 50 dollar bill outside in the parking lot at the mall around xmas time and i kept it. Maybe I'm just a horrible person...but it was windy and blowing around anyway....
Return it. BUT... I think people who finds them should keep it because most of the time the stores just lock it up until someone claims it and rarely anyone would come back and claim it.. :i Kind of funny, because I wouldn't keep it. I'd feel bad.
take... no one to return it to equals mine
If it was a 20 by itself on the ground, I'd take it.
Umm... if I was the lady behind the counter, I would have taken it from you and kept it for myself, which she most likely and intelligently did, hence the "funny look." Since it wasn't in a wallet or anything, there is absolutely no way of identifying it. So I guess you're just $20 poorer now. Should have listened to your boyfriend.
Well, the only times that has happened to me, I saw the person drop it.
I couldn't, in good conscience, take $20 if I saw someone drop it. I mean, who knows what they needed it for?
Stupid conscience. ;P
I honestly don't know what I'd do if I found the money unattended.
I'd probably feel kind of uncomfortable keeping it, though.
I don't know why. It just makes me uneasy.