What would you do?

[UGetPaid]

Early in July my family and I were having dinner at a new fast food chain that just opened in our area. It had been open for several weeks, but the novelty of it combined with our town being a bit of a summer tourist draw still made for a very busy location with a crowd of customers and still a bit of chaos with so many people waiting for food at the counter area after their orders were placed.


As my 12 year old and I were waiting for our food, she nudged me with an elbow, said "hey dad" and gestured toward the floor - where a $20 bill was laying out in the open.  There were a lot of people there, but this bill was not laying next to anyone in particular and we did not see who dropped it. It was not obvious to be anyone's $20 and nobody else standing around had seen it. So I walked about 8 or 10 steps over and picked it up.


I could have asked the people there if anyone dropped it, but I didn't. Instead, I approached the cashier working the order in station and said something like, "someone dropped this, but I didn't see who it was" (thinking that as the employee taking the money she may have come across someone wanting to pay who didn't have the money they thought they had in their pocket)... dumb on my part to not just pocket it myself.  But I was also trying to teach my daughter a lesson, through good example, that sometimes it's the right thing to try to get property back to its rightful owner.


The worker shrugged her shoulders, but took the bill from me anyway and walked over to talk to someone else behind the counter. I don't know if she was a supervisor or just another worker... The other girl took the $20, stuffed it into her own pocket, and went about her business. And the girl at the counter glanced at me, but offered no explanation or anything.


I suppose I could have said to the girl - if you were just going to take it, how about giving it back to my daughter as the person who found it. But I chose to keep my mouth shut and teach an alternate lesson to my daughter...    some people are just opportunistic vultures.


I don't know that girl's story or how hard she was working on that busy day. Maybe she needed something extra to get through the week. But it definitely left a sour taste in my mouth (and it was my wife, not me, who ordered the lemonade to drink).

[braggin]

I think you should have asked for the money back for your daughter, explaining that she was the first person to find it.

[gwilson31]

I probably would have held onto it unless I heard someone at the counter state she/he lost her money.  But it's hard to say definitely  unless I'm in that situation. 

[countrygirl12]

Ugetpaid - I would have kept the money.  Any time you turn in found cash at a restaurant or store somebody is going to just pocket it.  I do not think you have any obligations to turn it in.  I found a $100 bill in the floor at Walmart and I picked it up and thought I had found a dollar until I looked closer.  If I gave it to the cashier it would have went in HER pocket.  Better to go in mine.

braggn- It was not theirs.  They already said that.  Maybe the one who "stuffed it in her pocket" was hanging on to it in case someone inquired about losing some money.  You do not know what her intentions were.

[sfreeman8]

I would've held onto it, too, at least until the cashier asked the supervisor. I would want an explanation if the super wanted the money and I would have told them your daughter really found it and it would have been a great example if they congratulated her and gave her the money.

I found a $5 bill on the floor in WalMart once many moons ago. There was no one around. No customers and no workers. I even checked the checkout line. No one. So I just kept it. If there were people around I would have asked.  Usually it's elderly people that lose money, especially if its a larger sum. Most people in my neck of the woods try to find the owner to the extent of even placing an ad in the paper and going to the police..

[vickysue]

several times I have spotted money, 1.  floating  down the  street. Bent down and  picked it up.  No one was in sight except  fast \moving cars.  yep pocketed it. 2nd. time  I I was walking down  on the side walk and this $20 come blowing right  straight  for me.  I picked it up looked around and no one was in sight. So I went in a couple of stores and ask if anyone  came  in looking for some money they lost. Nope. So kept it.  Third t ime I found a roll of 6 $100.00 dollar bills  rolled up. That one I took into our store security and  talked  too him. He put it in the safe and said if anyone come looking for it and  knew how much he/she lost they would give it too them also put an ad in the newspaper about  found money. Got a lot of phone calls but either didn't know how much it was or  what it was rolled  around.  Yep I got  to keep it after a year. Nice  bonus.

[countrygirl12]

I would've held onto it, too, at least until the cashier asked the supervisor. I would want an explanation if the super wanted the money and I would have told them your daughter really found it and it would have been a great example if they congratulated her and gave her the money.

I found a $5 bill on the floor in WalMart once many moons ago. There was no one around. No customers and no workers. I even checked the checkout line. No one. So I just kept it. If there were people around I would have asked.  Usually it's elderly people that lose money, especially if its a larger sum. Most people in my neck of the woods try to find the owner to the extent of even placing an ad in the paper and going to the police..

Using that thought obviously someone lost it.  So technically the money did not belong to the kid.  Most establishments have organizations they donate money to.  They could also have some kind of deal where found money would go to the wait staff whose station it is found in.  Maybe it was a tip and fell off the table.

I think asking did you lose $20 is a crock.

A few years ago someone found some of money in the Walmart parking lot.  Finder called the radio station and said they have found the money and to put an ad on the radio.  If you lost money call and tell them how much you lost so it can be returned to you.  There were over 40 people called in "guessing" at how much money had been found.  NOT ONE person "guessed" the correct amount.  So obviously it was people just guessing trying to get the money.  And yes those people were shamed on the radio.  It is ridiculous that people were doing that.
The finder donated the money to some local charity and made sure everyone knew they had done it.  Pat on the back there.

[betlynjua]

Years ago I was in a public restroom.  I was the only one in there.  As I was washing my hands I looked on the floor and saw a bunch of dollar bills.  I quietly picked them all up and put them in my pocket. 

I stepped outside the restroom and just stood, waited and watched.  I didn't ask if anyone lost any cash in the ladies restroom because probably everyone would try to claim it; even the men. So I just observed to see if anyone was in panic. Everybody was calm and going about their business. 

After spending quite some time just observing, I went outside the building and did the same thing.  Again, nobody was in a panic looking for lost valuables.  So at that point I had to figure out what to do with an extra $30.00! 

[alina6]

I probably would have kept the 20 dollars.

[dsosnowski06]

I probably would have asked to talk to the manager after the girl pocketed the money and explained the situation to him as this would have been another good lesson for your daughter.   She would have also learned unfortunately  that honestly doesn't always work. 

[sherryinutah]

I have mixed feelings about all this because I believe in being honest and in teaching our children by setting a positive example.  Unfortunately, if the cash is given to the "lost and found" it usually ends up being a "finders keeper" scenario.

If I were in your shoes.....

I would have picked it up and hung on to it.  I would have explained to my child that we're going to wait to see if someone is looking for it.  If not, it's a gift from the Universe to whoever found it.

Sometimes people leave the self checkout at the grocery without taking their change.  In that case, I would turn it in to the customer service department where someone might return to ask for it.  I'm grateful to say that I've been on the receiving end of that situation in the past.

[countrygirl12]

Years ago I was in a public restroom.  I was the only one in there.  As I was washing my hands I looked on the floor and saw a bunch of dollar bills.  I quietly picked them all up and put them in my pocket. 

I stepped outside the restroom and just stood, waited and watched.  I didn't ask if anyone lost any cash in the ladies restroom because probably everyone would try to claim it; even the men. So I just observed to see if anyone was in panic. Everybody was calm and going about their business. 

After spending quite some time just observing, I went outside the building and did the same thing.  Again, nobody was in a panic looking for lost valuables.  So at that point I had to figure out what to do with an extra $30.00! 

Pretty judgmental of you to say "everyone would try to claim it" because you found it in the women's restroom.
If it was not mine I would not try to claim it and neither would any of the women I know.

Just because you did not see anyone "in a panic" does not mean they were not aware they had lost the money.  Obviously somebody lost it.  May not have even noticed they had lost it yet.

[countrygirl12]

I probably would have asked to talk to the manager after the girl pocketed the money and explained the situation to him as this would have been another good lesson for your daughter.   She would have also learned unfortunately  that honestly doesn't always work. 

How would it have been a good lesson to the daughter?  What are you teaching her?  To be a tattletale?  I figure once you turn the money over to someone else it is no longer any of your business what happens.

There is a good chance the waitress dropped the money since she is walking around with an apron full of tips.

[countrygirl12]

I have mixed feelings about all this because I believe in being honest and in teaching our children by setting a positive example.  Unfortunately, if the cash is given to the "lost and found" it usually ends up being a "finders keeper" scenario.

If I were in your shoes.....

I would have picked it up and hung on to it.  I would have explained to my child that we're going to wait to see if someone is looking for it.  If not, it's a gift from the Universe to whoever found it.

Sometimes people leave the self checkout at the grocery without taking their change.  In that case, I would turn it in to the customer service department where someone might return to ask for it.  I'm grateful to say that I've been on the receiving end of that situation in the past.

It is not a gift from the universe.  Somebody lost it.  Probably do not even know where they lost it.  If it is something like cash where there is no way to identify the owner I would probably keep it.

You also have to remember there are cameras EVERY WHERE and if you pick cash up out of the floor you very likely can be on video.  At the same time I do not see how you can be charged with a crime for picking up money you found.  But in the screwed up world we live in you likely could.

[sak4kat]

I think you did the right thing.  You're reward will certainly be more than $20 too.  The lesson you taught your daughter was certainly worth a lifetime of what doesn't belong to us isn't meant for us to call our own.  Hopefully the employee that popped it in there pocket later filed it with the rest of the office monies.  Often there is a donation of some sort that X corporation contributes to.  Who knows?  You allocated the loose cash where it should have gone... now it's up to a supervisor to do the next best thing.