Giving “Ben” Back to the Passenger in Front - Honesty Story #24
February 11th, 2008
This is a really great story about the honesty of one of our readers. The honesty displayed by him was remarkable. He also brings up some very good questions.
I was around 14 years old (I’m 19 now) and was flying to some destination. Midway through the flight, (I had a window seat), I found dollar bill lying just a few inches in front of my feet under the seat in front of me. When I bent down to pick it up, my eyes widened in shock! This was not just a dollar bill, it was an authentic $100 bill! I looked at the guy next to me, (I was flying alone in coach) and in disbelief said, “What would you do if you found a $100 dollars?” He shrugged at me, but then I showed him that I physically had it. He was stunned and I explained to him where I found it. He emphasized that it wasn’t his C-note.
During our decent from 20,000 feet I mustered up the courage to ask the guy directly in front of me if this “Green Ben” was his. He claimed it was, and I gave it to him. I don’t remember if he even said thank you. It was very low key exchange and he didn’t even look behind to see “his” C-Note’s founder. He just reached behind his head rest without looking back.
I shall always wonder if I should have kept it. I mean, what proof did the guy have that he lost a $100 dollars under his seat? Also, don’t you think it’s strange for someone to lose a hundred dollars and not be happy to have it back, much less from a teenager? Anyway, I was honest. Maybe I was too honest.
Sent in by Chase Musgrove
Entry Filed under: Honesty
(5 votes, average: 4.8 out of 5)
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1 Comment Add your own
1. ToxicDave | March 11th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Your suspicions are probably correct, but I greatly admire your character. I’ve personally lost things (misplaced briefly) without the benefit of a decent human fessing up to having found the items. On later reflection, I can often call up activity that was in the periphery at the time and mentally identify the exact moment some stranger “found” the item and promptly walked off (a multitool, a baseball, a baseball glove, my wallet). Even when the opportunity to confront them presents itself, I’ve found myself facing blatant denial.
The point isn’t that somebody probably robbed you of your good fortune and turned it into their own… the point is that you showed great character and are deserving of admiration. Five years from now, look back and ask how much of a difference that $100 would have made in your life and contrast that with how much a lifetime of personal integrity has been worth.
Good for you, Chase!
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