Cash Stash Discovered in Hurricane-Damaged Home—Honestly!
After pondering yesterday in my post the honesty of mankind, I found myself wondering if maybe I was giving our species too much credit. After all, one has only to read the daily newspaper or watch the evening news to see how we rob, cheat and steal one another blind—over and over again.
But this morning over coffee, I read another inspiring story that reinforced my faith in my fellow man. You may have seen this one yourself, but if you haven't, you've got to check it out!
It goes like this: amongst the ruins of a hurricane-damaged home in New Orleans, a college student recently spent her spring break cleaning up Hurricane Katrina's mess. When the girl discovered some unusual papers she thought were garbage in an air conditioner vent, she began raking them out so she could throw them away. But when she bent down to pick them up, she discovered they were actually a stack of $100 bills.
On final tally, there was over $30,000 hidden behind the walls of the water-logged home.
The home was a total loss—other than the unexpected find. Its owner, who assumes her grandfather placed the money there because he never trusted banks, was totally speechless.
What a windfall! But during a time when there was nothing but devastation as far as the eye could see, what do you suppose the student did with the money?
She gave it back! (Read the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth right here.)
Sheriff's Deputy Gary Adams said of the incident, "It's good to see someone find something like that and turn it over to proper authorities and the rightful owner."
Although I would hope we would each do the same, I wonder, when it came right down to it, would we really??
What do you think? Oh, and be honest, would you? :)
Comments
I'm not sure. I might've kept it.
Gah! It's the beating of that hideous heart!
I'd give it back.
Posted by: Peter | May 23, 2006 10:36 PM
Hi, Peter. You're not alone...I know I'd certainly be tempted to keep it.
I guess the real question is this: could any of us sleep at night if we knowingly took something so valuable from someone so financially devastated? That's a tougher dilemma with a real moral undertone.
Thanks for your honesty!
Posted by: Penny Hagerman | May 23, 2006 10:51 PM