Honesty

[jkc]

Funny you should mention this --- just a couple hours ago, I picked up some take-out dinner items at the neighborhood supermarket's deli counter, and went through the checkout lane, where I verbally added a bag of ice cubes to my order. Turns out the deli clerk hadn't placed a price sticker on a few cents worth of a small scoop of mac'n'cheese, but this brought the checkout line to an annoying stop while the cashier attempted unsuccessfully to establish the value of the item by calling the deli on the store intercom, looking it up manually on some sort of cheat sheet, and so forth. She finally, in exasperation and impatience, plugged in some arbitrary price, remarking, "you're gonna get a good deal on this!" The electronic debit card display asked for my approval of the total price and I unthinkingly pressed the "OK" button, only to then do the mental math to verify that something was amiss. The cashier handed me the printed receipt, which at a glance revealed the problem --- I hadn't been charged for the ice cubes. To the irritation of the customers behind me in the checkout lane, we initiated a second transaction for the ice cubes, all $1.99 worth. I suppose the greater good may have been served by ignoring this oversight, and letting the line get moving again, but I'm not wired that way, as previous posters have indicated. The corollary is, I guess, that if you'd cheat someone out of $1.99, you'd probably cheat or steal a more significant sum, and if you wouldn't, you wouldn't. It's not a matter of degree...

 

[Kinman]

We had a little family get together the other day at a new place that offers 50 different beers on tap and terrific food. Afterwards we were piling out of there and as usual my senile Mother in Law was making sure noone had dropped a spoon or anything under the table, I was making sure she didn't tip over and bust her noggin when my nephew lets out a whoop. I look over and from under a chair at another table he pulls a folded bill. He opens it up and its a pair of twenties, I said "bonus tip for the exhausted waitress". He went over to our waitress and told her to put it in the collective tip jar and she said she would hold onto it just in case the young gal that was sitting there came back. We no more than collected Mom and headed for the door when a car pulled up front and this young gal comes running into the place looking under her chair. The waitress came over and asked her if she could help her, the gal said "I lost $40 dollars and just left here". The waitress pulled the $40 bucks and said "This must be yours, that young man just found it." The look on the young gals face was terrific, she was very thankful and offered a reward. My nephew said "Its a reward just to help folks when you can and see the results."

 

[Bert Man]

Just yesterday I purchased a box of 135 clay pigeons from my range to have some table trap fun with a friend. When I got home and pulled the change out of my pocket and realized that I had more money than I should have. The cost for the box was $11 and I gave the counter guy a 20. The change I got was $14. I believe he accidentily gave me a 10 instead of a 5. Now I don't know what I should do. If I tell him the next time I'm there and give him the $5 he might think I'm trying to question his ability to add. If I do nothing the club loses $5. It's not a real big deal, but it will bug me unless I make it right.

Refer to the last sentence in your post. There's your answer. Cheers.

 

[Cyrano]

I may have told this one before: a few years ago I went up to Albuquerque, NM, for their March gun show. Stopped in at Ron Peterson's wonderful gun store and came out with a Colt Model 1903 Army revolver in 38 Long Colt. I liked it very much, shot it some, got the proper ammo for it, and also found a military holster, worn butt forward on the right side, Cavalry fashion.

The next January, I got a big box from Ron Peterson's. ??? I wondered. It containd a service holster, better than the one I'd bought, and a little leather cartridge box, worn on the belt, containing a wooden insert with twelve holes for cartridges. The box was unit marked. The package contained a note: "These items came with the 1903 Colt you bought from us in March. We found the disrepancy in our yearly inventory. We are sorry for any inconvenience". At that time, the two items were worth not much less than $300, and a lot more now. I would have been none the wiser if they'd kept them.

Nest time I was in Ron Peterson's, I described this incident to a clerk. His reply: "That's the way we do business". It's not the last gun I've bought from them, and this isn't the last time I'll tell this story (not to the same audience, I hope).

 

[feralmerril]

Here is one I aint proud of but it taught me a lesson. Close to 40 years ago my folks drove out to see me. I went to a large chain store and bought some steaks to BBQ for them. There was a mistake on the marked prices. Something like .50 cents a pound where all the rest were maybe $2.50 a pound for the day and age. Larceny got the best of me. Most my life before and after that I have always tried to be honest. It went through checkout okay. My folks were strong christians and raised me that way. I made a secound mistake and told dad about it as I was BBQing the steaks. Dad was always the quite type that never said much but when he did in situations like that, it was always powerful. Dad just said, oh yeah? Is it worth your soul?

 

[Wyatt Burp]

Around 1984 My brother traded me a Harley 175 with a new carb for my one year old S&W 4" Model 24-2 with box and everything. I had about $375 in the gun new. Couple years later he's staying at a motel in Bakersfield on his way home to L.A. He gets home and remembers he left the gun loaded under the pillow at the motel and hightails back to Bakersfield which is very far. He ran in and they had the gun in the zipper case behind the counter and gave it to him. They could have made up any story and kept it. I always thought that was so great, whoever and wherever that was in Bakersfield.
I had sold the bike for $500 and in the early 90's I bought the gun back from him for $350. Still have it.

 

[gaf]

Back in about the summer of 1980 I was a young police officer making $12,500 a year. I was at the scene of a some what spectacular crash involving a rollover of a small convertable sportscar at 3AM. I was able to dodge the paperwork and was sent to the next intersection about a 1/2mile down the rural road to re-direct traffic.
With the cruiser parked blocking the road with no traffic and no one arround I was kicking the trash in the gutter.
I kicked a shoebox and it was full. I opened it and found it full of US bills all tied together in two large bundles.
I tossed it in the cruiser trunk and as soon as I was cleared from my post drove to the station and called the Sergeant to meet me. We cut the bundles and found over $17,000 in small bills (5-10-20's).
What I remember most was having to pool money with the guy that had to do the second count with me to buy breakfast. We were able to come up with about $5 between us.
End of story: Later we were contacted by the attorney for an occupant of the vehicle asking if we found anything of interest in the crash. After a little hedging he asked about the money. When we told him that we had it he said it belonged to his client.
I told him I needed a written statement that he owned the box and contents, which was provided. I then charged the owner with two felonies for the drugs that I also found in the sealed box.
The attorney was the big winner because he got almost all the money to defend the felony charges. It ended in a plea. The client had never told the attorney about the drugs that were also in the sealed box.
gaf

 

[moe l.]

Wish more people were honest. But I think these values and morals are no longer being instilled in our young by their parents. This country is on a very slippery slope and we are being taught that cheating and stealing will get you everywhere. Just look at our "leaders".....
Sad...very sad.

 

[feralmerril]

It`s a sad day indeed. Do we need to look any farther than timothy geithner who cheated on $35,000s taxs around 2004 and AFTER that was appointed secretary of treasury? How are we to respect the people at the top that steal from us?

 

[gjgalligan]

Back in the 70s I went to the bank with my paycheck. Deposit most of it and get a little cash. The lady give the deposit reciept and the same amount of cash. I asked her if that was right, she said yes. I responded, I think you better count this again. She got a real nasty and said: I don't make mistakes!
I just said ok and left. I figured they would catch later and correct it but they never did.
I tried to do the right thing.

 

[TheHobbyist]

"Always do the honest (right) thing...even when no one is looking..."

 

[427mach1]

Several years ago I was working in the San Jose area and had a rental car on a one month rental. Our stay was being extended so I called Hertz to extend the rental but was told that my contract had been cancelled and that I needed to go to the airport rental counter to clear it up. I went to the airport and described my telephone conversation to the clerk, then asked him what was meant by "my contract had been cancelled". He replied, "Hertz thinks you turned the car in two weeks ago. Would you like to keep the same car for the rest of your stay?" He then gave me a receipt for two of the four weeks I had already had the car. I asked him about the missing two weeks worth of charges. His reply? "Guess you got a free rental car." Unfortunately, I was on company travel and it was more of a headache explaining why I DIDN'T have a rental car for two weeks on my expense report!

 

[semperfi71]

There are many things in life you can lose and regain. Integrity is not one of them. If you lose your integrity it is gone forever.

 

[semperfi71]

Cyrano,

I have been a customer of Ron Peterson's gunshop since 1978. A great place to shop.

I had a friend return a $200.00 overpayment to Mr. Peterson personally on a consignment firearm the shop sold for him.

When he handed the check to Mr. Peterson he stood silent for a moment with a slight smile. Then he said, "Not many people would have returned this."

I felt sorry for Mr. Peterson that he had not met that many honest people.

 

[Vision Remodeling]

About three years ago I cashed a check for 2200$ It was for a months work and was needed for the bills. I left it in the bank envelope, in my back pocket. I stopped at a store on my way home, when I got home I noticed it was gone. I was frantic to say the least. I went back to the store, thinking it was hopeless but I had to look. I asked the clerk if anyone had found anything, he gave me a phone number someone had left. The man asked me for the amount in the envelope and what bank it was from. He met me in a near by parking lot and returned it to me. I offered a reward and he would not hear of it. He really saved my butt that day. I have not had the opportunity to return the favor to anyone else. Thankyou so much to all who do the right thing when no one is looking. It feels good to do the right thing, although I'm sure It would have felt pretty good for that stranger if he had left his number and I had never called.

 

[Sprefix]

My story......I tried..........

I went into a LGS and had $135 worth parts and services done to a gun I owned. Upon picking it up, the store manager just got his lunch delivered from one of the "underlings" in the back. He exclaimed in a very loud voice what it was going to do to his lower intestines in a short bit and everyone should stick around for it. A young serviceman, his wife, and their (4-5 year old daughter) left hastily after the managers declaration. Disgusted, I checked out the work that had been performed. The counter guy that handed me the gun disappeared in back. Another worker came in and went to the back. The previous gent came out and I asked him for my old parts and he asked why I needed them with the new parts in the gun. I looked at him and was starting to get a little agitated and he went back for my parts. I pulled out my card to pay and held it out to the gent as he handed me the parts. He turned and went to the back again. Another worker came in and asked if I needed help. I smiled and held up the gun and my card to pay. The entire time, the store manger was heartily inhaling his Taco Bell while looking straight out his office window towards me. I caught his eye and held my card up to him and then the gun. Now I'm a bit testy. I went to my truck and put the gun and parts in the truck. I returned to the store and waited at the counter for TEN minutes. I had no cash on me and I went back to my truck and sat for five more minutes and then left.........I tried, and tried, and tried. Now the store manager is the owner and the two times I've been in there (with a friend that was driving as I have no desire to go back--and not because of the money), I was thoroughly disgusted by the same crude mouth. I'd like to tell you I feel bad, but I just can't.

 

[jkc]

Aldo Leupold, the "father" our current model of wildlife management, was also an ethicist, who said: Ethical Behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching, even when doing the wrong thing is legal.

We'd be long since rid of most elected officials, almost every bureaucrat, and public agency administrator, if this were the rule, if this were enforceable law, rather than a wishful suggestion...

 

[handejector]

Many years ago, my Dad wanted to show me the graves of a couple of his ancestors at an old country church. My 4 or 5 year old son was with us. It was about 40 miles from home, maybe more. We got there and found the headstones, and I thought it wise to write all the data on the stones along with directions to the church.
BUT, Dad did not have a pen or pencil in his pocket (VERY unusual). I did not have one. None in the glovebox or console. I decided to see if anyone was at the church. No one was there, but the front door was unlocked- not real unusual back then. A table in the small foyer had one pencil laying on it. I picked it up, and as we walked out, my son said "That's stealing!" I assured him we were just going to borrow it.
I wrote the data down, and we headed for home. We were about half way there when Dad, who was driving, told me more data I wanted to write down. I automatically pulled that pencil out of my shirt pocket or from behind my ear. My son in the backseat yelled "You STOLE that pencil!" I had forgotten about it.
My Dad and I looked at each other, and without a word, he immediately whipped into a U turn on that country road and we drove 15 or 20 miles to return that wood pencil about 6 inches long. I made sure the kid went with me to put it back on that table!

 

[GKC]

When I asked my wife to marry me some 35 years ago, I bought her a very expensive (to me, at the time) engagement ring, made even more precious (to me) by having the jeweler add some diamonds to the central stone that had been in my family. My wife accepted, and a few days later went to Disneyland with some friends (the trip was already planned, and wasn't related to our engagement. ) While there, she used a restroom and took the ring off to wash her hands...and forgot it. She realized it just after she left the restroom, and went back to get it, but it was gone.

She was crying hysterically just outside the restroom, and her friends were trying to comfort her, when an older lady approached the group asking what was wrong. Her friends explained, and the woman took out a large ball of tissue from her purse, unwrapped it, and asked "Is this it?"

To this day, I wonder about the woman's intentions...and why she had wrapped it up in so much tissue. However, when she saw how heartbroken my wife was, she did the right thing. I'd also like to think I would have been forgiving of my fiancee losing such an expensive and meaningful (to me) ring a few days after I gave it to her...fortunately I didn't have to find out. She has forgiven me much over the course of our marriage, so I'd like to think that I would have been, and wouldn't have missed being married to this wonderful woman over a material thing.