Pay It Forward

Doing the right thing is really, really, really hard sometimes.

Recently, when I found some money on the ground (40 BUCKAROO's to be a little more specific), I initially played that little game called, "Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers".  And then, almost immediately afterwards,  I felt guilty knowing that someone lost their cash.  That could be me. Or it could be you.  Shit, maybe it was you.  In that case, I should have kept it!

 Or after unpacking all of the groceries and baby into the car, it is then I find a package of contraband butter, which I find in some obscure location (like behind Charlotte's head in the car seat) that made it out of the store without being purchased.  Then the game is called, "REALLY, right now?!  Should I, or shouldn't I pack the baby back up, and go PAY?!!!!"

I have made a really significant discovery recently:  human nature leads us to the lazy path.  NOT the path of righteousness, man.

Just last week, our fam took a walk on a gloomy Sunday afternoon.  We were one block out, when it started to hail on us.  The girls took it as their opportunity to go "singen' in the rain,"  while Tom and I looked at each other, with an unspoken, "Should we turn back?" look.  Finally, after camping out under a tree for a good 5 minutes, waiting out the storm, I said, "Tom, let's man up here.  The girls are digging it."  And so we soldiered on to downtown Willow Glen.

By the time we made our way to Lincoln Avenue, the sun was shining, and the clouds had lifted.  I told the girls they could go into Powell's candy shop and each spend a buck...I know, big spender huh?  As we approached The Dark Side, (Powell's), I looked down to find three gift cards on the ground.  Two were for a chic little clothing boutique called Bella James.  And the other was for TJ Maxx Home Goods.

"SCORE!!!!" was my first thought.  I mean, I haven't bought any new clothes since the babe's been born, because truth be told, money has been more than a little tight.  Bella James is a store that I would never be able to afford, so I don't ever go in.  But I have seen it from the outside while I drink Sangria at Aqui's.

My second thought was, "Someone is really bummed right now because they lost these cards."  And so, with our girls on a severe sugar high, and following in tow, I marched into Bella James, and dropped the cards off to the clerk, explaining the situation

She said, "Oh, you know, I can TRACE these to whomever purchased them."  Well, that sucks, I thought.  I don't stand a chance.  "But if they're not claimed within the week, I will call you, okay?  Oh gosh, these are worth $100!"  I left my name and number, hoping I would luck out.

That call never came.  I waited until today to call and inquire about those gift cards, and the overly enthusiastic  clerk said, "OH!  She came in the very same day and claimed them!"

I was kind of expecting like a consolation prize or something.  How about one card for her, and one for me?  How about a phone call THANKING me for returning them?  Better yet, realizing what an outstanding citizen I am, I get $1,000 shopping spree at Bella James rewarding me for "doing the right thing"?

Nope.  I didn't get shit.  Just a good feeling inside.

Like I said before, doing the right thing is really, really, really hard sometimes.