It's amazing where you can be when something in life occurs that makes you take a minute and think.
For instance I was in line waiting to return something in one our local big box stores when a woman came in line behind me with one item in her hand so I told her to step in front of me since I had several items.
She was so appreciative you would think I handed her $20 and told her to buy herself something nice.
But what was even more surprising was what happened next.
Once the short little lady stepped up to the register she handed the cashier her item, which I believe was a pair of socks or slippers, and pulled out her wallet. Nothing shocking here I know.
But then she said, "I had this next to me in the car and realized you forgot to ring me up for this." She had brought in a pair of socks that the kid behind the counter obviously missed while ringing up the rest of her purchase. The socks were $4.
Let's be honest. Most of us would have ripped the tag off the socks and every time they put them on think, "Yup I'm good. These are my free socks."
Same thing if a cashier gives you a dollar or two too much with your change. You just say thank you and grin to yourself on your drive home.
It would be one thing if the cashier gave me $20 too much or accidentally let me walk off with a free stereo. But this woman carried all her things to the car, maybe even belted herself in and started her car and then came all the way back in to pay $4 for overpriced socks.
I'm assuming she did this because she feared the boy would get in trouble or maybe she would be overwhelmed with guilt every time she wore the socks. Either way, she reminded me of how dishonest people have become, including me, as long as they get something good out of it.
As the woman gathered her change she did not give the cashier a casual thank you. She thanked the boy "for all his help." And the boy didn't once thank her for saving his butt or for her purchase.
I've chosen to ignore his teenage attitude and focus on this saint of a woman. It is people like her that are noticed and hopefully influencing others like me who sometimes forget honesty is the only way.
Mallory Medved is an assistant managing editor of weekly publications for
the Sun-Times News Group. She helps cover the Lincoln-Way area and towns
southwest of Joliet. Being naturally nosy has led her to a career in
journalism and fulfilled her dream of getting paid to read. Being a new
homeowner and a future bride, she's also perpetually broke, but enjoys
hearing about other people in the same situation. She lives in Plainfield
but is a native of New Lenox.
Christina Chapman is a Will County resident who desperately wants to live in Grundy County. But since she lost that battle with her boyfriend when they bought a house, she makes due covering Grundy County news for The Herald News in Joliet. When not covering municipal meetings, school events and finding the truth behind the latest coffee talk, she is trying to balance life as a young home owner who is fighting the stereotype that she is living in sin because she is not yet married. She hopes to share with you her perspective on life and the news in hopes that you’ll share yours.
It can challenge your abilities to stay focused and do the right thing. But someone has to start the change, like pay-it-forward.
I've done similar things -- get out to the car and realize the grocery clerk forgot to charge me for something. The cashier is usually amazed that I was honest enough to come back and pay.
The same thing happens when I tell a cashier he/she has given me too much change -- they suprised I own up to it.
I've gone out of my way to pay for items that were missed or to return an overage of money every time. I've driven back to stores or even gotten back in line to return money ... even when it's 50 cents.
I was raised to believe that if you get something that doesn't belong to you, even if it was a clerk's error, it's stealing, plain and simple.
I'm not shocked the woman did the right thing. I'm shocked that we live in a world where we find it surprising that she did.
If I had a pair of socks that weren't rung up and I didn't return them, I'd think, "These are the socks I stole like a common criminal," rather than "Woo, free socks!" I'm hoping there are more people who think like me than otherwise. If not, we may be doomed.