Writing About Honesty After an ATM Spits out Money

I don't normally write about human nature, maybe because I tend to be a bit cynical. However, I am going to tonight. Earlier today, I saw a positive display of human nature, and I feel honored to have the opportunity to share by writing about the "event".

I was in the local Sam's Club, at the customer service counter when a woman came up and handed the customer service representative a handful of twenty dollar bills. She told him the ATM was spitting out money.

A few minutes later, when I was back in the book area of the store, I overheard a call coming across an associate's walkie talkie - the ATM was spitting out more money and the customers were guarding it, waiting for help from the store.

Now, everyone KNOWS the right thing to do is turn in the money, but my dim view of human nature in general left me surprised to hear that people were doing the right thing.

Shame on me for doubting the integrity of my fellow citizens, because these honorable citizens stepped up and made sure no one else in the immediate vicinity took the strewn money either.

So here I am, temporarily eating my cynicism, and writing about a small group of anonymous, ethical citizens who did the right thing. Way to go!