Honesty

[Julia]

While in Sydney on holiday earlier this week, I stupidly left my bag on a train.
Realised I didn't have it as the train pulled out of the station. Rushed to NSW Rail attendant who made a call to stations further up the line, while telling me I had virtually no chance of it being handed in.

Phoned the bank to cancel the cards, and whilst doing this, a call came through that the bag had been handed in two stations further up the line.
Jumped on the next train, not imagining for a moment that the cash, cards, phone and camera would not have been taken.

Unbelievably, it had been handed in, apparently by an Asian high school student, completely intact. There was about $400 in cash, not a cent touched.

Unfortunately the station attendant didn't get his name or phone number so I was unable to contact him to offer my heartfelt thanks and reward.

How reassuring and great was that for an experience! I think I have had the next ten years of luck all in that one afternoon!

 

[Sean K]

Great story Julia. Rare in this time. How tempting would it have been to take the cash!!!!!!! What a shame they didn't get his name.

 

[barney]

While in Sydney on holiday earlier this week, I stupidly left my bag on a train.
Realised I didn't have it as the train pulled out of the station. Rushed to NSW Rail attendant who made a call to stations further up the line, while telling me I had virtually no chance of it being handed in.

Phoned the bank to cancel the cards, and whilst doing this, a call came through that the bag had been handed in two stations further up the line.
Jumped on the next train, not imagining for a moment that the cash, cards, phone and camera would not have been taken.

Unbelievably, it had been handed in, apparently by an Asian high school student, completely intact. There was about $400 in cash, not a cent touched.

Unfortunately the station attendant didn't get his name or phone number so I was unable to contact him to offer my heartfelt thanks and reward.

How reassuring and great was that for an experience! I think I have had the next ten years of luck all in that one afternoon!

Nice story Julia ................ My wife has handed in a few "bags" over the years ............. The person, who handed in your bag, (who you will never know), is probably a lot like my wife .............. rest assured they were a good person, who know you will have appreciated their good deed ......... and because they are a "good person", they don't need to be told so ......... Their deed carries much more significance because they remain anonymous ........... PS Spend the $400 on something that will remind you of their "goodwill" .......... It may get you through a bad day when the shoe is on the other foot so to speak ...........All the best, Barney.

 

[wayneL]

There are still good people around. Let's hope karma does something nice for that student.

 

[dhukka]

While in Sydney on holiday earlier this week, I stupidly left my bag on a train.
Realised I didn't have it as the train pulled out of the station. Rushed to NSW Rail attendant who made a call to stations further up the line, while telling me I had virtually no chance of it being handed in.

Phoned the bank to cancel the cards, and whilst doing this, a call came through that the bag had been handed in two stations further up the line.
Jumped on the next train, not imagining for a moment that the cash, cards, phone and camera would not have been taken.

Unbelievably, it had been handed in, apparently by an Asian high school student, completely intact. There was about $400 in cash, not a cent touched.

Unfortunately the station attendant didn't get his name or phone number so I was unable to contact him to offer my heartfelt thanks and reward.

How reassuring and great was that for an experience! I think I have had the next ten years of luck all in that one afternoon!

Could have been any kind hearted soul but if I had to guess I would have said Japanese. They hand in nearly everything here, a friend of mine left more than 9000 yen sticking out of a ticket machine at a very busy train station. She went to work for the whole day, came home at 6pm and it had been handed in at the ticket box. This is normal, people expect to get stuff back when they leave it in a cab or train in Japan.

One caveat, umbrellas are a free for all, people steal them all the time. Also pissed old men who miss the last train home have been known to nick bicycles.

 

[sails]

Yes, there are some honest people around still. So good to hear your story, turned out so well, Julia. Must have been an enormous relief!

A couple of weeks ago I had a sick grandchild with gastric virus and when Grandad came home from work, I left him in charge while I ducked up to the Chemist quickly to get some rehydrating solution.

One of the pharmacists helped me choose something appropriate and then processed my purchase. Instead of handing back my CC as they usually do, she put it on some advertising material on the counter which was almost the same colour as the CC. In my haste to get back, I didn't see it sitting there.

I had to pick something else up at the shops and noticed my CC was not in it's usual place, so I rushed back to the chemist to let them know they hadn't returned it.

The pharmacist hadn't seen it left on the counter either and was surprised that I didn't have it. She went to show where she had left it and an Asian mother and her shool age child were standing. They realised what was happening and said they had just handed it in.

I thanked them profusely but they just smiled and brushed it off. Seemed that the relief written on my face was reward enough.

 

[2020hindsight]

yep - good one Julia. - and not only the student but the Railway staff
The day will come that the bomb squad will be called to blow up stray handbags I guess

dhukka - yep, the Japanese have beautiful manners don't they. I remember some young girl giving up her seat for me on some train in Japan. Don't recall catching a taxi there, but I'm guessing it's orderly as well.

Whereas Seoul, sheesh. They have absolutely no idea of queueing for eg taxis. I finally threw my case in the back seat of a just-arrived-cab. ... As yet another Korean businessman pushed past and started to sit in the front seat. Finally he gave up the taxi - but he wasn't happy.

As for umbrellas, back when it used to rain, I reckon I had dozens of them going around on buses and trains all over the place. Always forget the damned things

 

[noirua]

While in Sydney on holiday earlier this week, I stupidly left my bag on a train.
Realised I didn't have it as the train pulled out of the station. Rushed to NSW Rail attendant who made a call to stations further up the line, while telling me I had virtually no chance of it being handed in.

Phoned the bank to cancel the cards, and whilst doing this, a call came through that the bag had been handed in two stations further up the line.
Jumped on the next train, not imagining for a moment that the cash, cards, phone and camera would not have been taken.

Unbelievably, it had been handed in, apparently by an Asian high school student, completely intact. There was about $400 in cash, not a cent touched.

Unfortunately the station attendant didn't get his name or phone number so I was unable to contact him to offer my heartfelt thanks and reward.

How reassuring and great was that for an experience! I think I have had the next ten years of luck all in that one afternoon!

Hi Julia, that's some of the good news that was forecast in your stars and I can see very much more to come.

 

[numbercruncher]

I had a similar experience as a broke backpacker in Europe, Mate and I found a wallet in a rich London suburb, full of cash cards etc, did the right thing, left our name, number etc when handing it in, no reward, no thanks, no slab of beer

But Karma has dished out plenty of rewards over the years

 

[2020hindsight]

Had a wallet fall out of my jeans once as I was crossing the road in Manly (Sydney) - didn't notice it at the time.
A bloke rang me later that weekend - if I wanted to collect it from his house etcetc. He himself was wealthy - turned out to be a mansion.

He said someone who looked for all the world like a vagrant was heading to pick it up just before he did - who had stars in his eyes - and appeared pissed off when beaten to it - it may not have had the same ending.

Then again, lol - the next pairing of "rich businessman" and "vagrant" might give the reversal of those roles I guess

 

[hangseng]

Refreshing story Julia.

A little one of mine:

Around 1983 I was pretty broke like most just finding their way in life and cash was tight. My wife and I were driving past the mining town of Eneabba back to Perth and saw what looked a wallet on the ground. Went back and found the wallet with cash strewed on the ground and around $200 in the wallet (around $600 in all). Also had a name and address, which as it turned out was within 1 block of our place in Karrinyup (it was meant to be).

Finding a wallet with all this cash looked like Xmas to us and damn we could have used it, but not a thought to keep it. I rang the number when we got back to Perth and took the wallet back with the cash. The gent was very pleased to see me as he needed that cash badly and was embarrassingly grateful as he counted every note. Seeing it was all there, he wanted to give me $50 but I could see he really needed it far more than me, I accepted his thanks with no monetary reward and went on my way.

I think Karma has come back to me many times over as I count my many non-financial rewards today. The financial rewards of life are great but there are others far more valuable, the smiling relieved look on his face was all the reward I needed at the time and I often think of him.

Cornflakes moment, simple things in life

 

[moneymajix]

The story reminded me of a situation some years ago when I lost a gold chain (worth a few grand) in Double Bay.

I backtracked to the shops I had visited and the chain was returned by a lady (Asian, in fact) in one of the shops. She could have easily withheld it as I did not know where the chain had been lost.

She did not want a reward and so I returned with a gift for her.

 

[Julia]

Good to hear of other similar stories. Thinking about it more, I guess we shouldn't be quite so surprised. We would all hand it in, obviously, and so would all my friends. Perhaps the expectation that it would be taken is a reflection of our misguidedly negative view of our fellow human beings, promoted by media driven bad news.

Anyway, it absolutely made my holiday and I've written to the Sydney Morning Herald describing the incident in the hope they will publish it and gladden the hearts of everyone who reads it, hopefully even the student who handed in the bag.

2020, it didn't occur to me about the potential for the bomb threat with the bag being left, but I suppose you are right.

 

[Rainmaker2000]

Good for a very different post Julia......my personal experience with such things is mixed, but I do think curious that we always assume the worst....no matter what the economists and right thinking idelogues tell me over the years, I still think people are basically Good intentioned

There is noting I love more than returning a wallet or bag over the years because such a thing is worth so much more to the owner than anyone else and its great to see it not fall into the wrong hands

Just reminds me of the Billy Joel Song "Honeessstty, such a lovely word....( as my girfriend hit me with a golf club)"

 

[Prospector]

That is a great story Julia, and I can imagine how sick you felt when you first noticed the loss.

And as 2020 mentioned, lucky it wasnt the US or it would have been blown up! Or maybe lucky you weren't wearing hijab?

When we travel to Asia, particularly Hong Kong and Singapore, you feel perfectly safe in terms of physical harm, and actual loss of an item such as a handbag.

Yet in another situation, they will do all that they can to make sure you pay as much as possible when bargaining, or even some simple taxi rip-off.

The joys of travel!:

 

[agro]

honesty is the best policy!

imagine if he were convicted of stealing it from your bag!

 

[Stan 101]

There are still good people around. Let's hope karma does something nice for that student.

Wayne, with regard to karma it is a given. There is no need for hope. It mightn't be "something nice" though. Karma works both ways. It may just service a karma debt and balance out something that may have previously been a "bad" situation into a mere inconvenience.


Good story, Julia. Glad your holiday wasn't ruined.

cheers,

 

[nioka]

This may not be the right thread but it is similar.
Good deeds. The captors of Pumpkin's dad have given the reward to Pumpkin.
That warrants a mention somewhere.

 

[Prospector]

Wow. Nioka, they are wonderful people. I read the story about how they couldnt get the Police to understand they had seen this man hanging around. So they decided to capture him themselves. (Why the cops didn't twig is another story I guess!) So they invited him to dinner then a couple of them confronted him and pulled his pants down I think! But they could have done nothing.

What a glorious story with an amazing finish. Truly inspiring people!

 

[Julia]

That's just so good to hear. Sometimes I think this sort of good stuff goes on all the time but we just don't get to hear about it. The media are obsessed with focusing on all that's negative.

This was the other reason I wrote to the Sydney Morning Herald about my bag being handed in. Even if the student who was so honest doesn't see the letter (if they publish it), then knowing such a thing has happened will just do a tiny bit towards reassuring all of us that humanity is basically still OK.