# Wow. Smalltown honesty



## pacanis (Sep 22, 2008)

I went to gather my garbage bin this morning from the end of the drive.  I noticed something draped over one of my driveway markers. It was a wallet/changepurse/key holder.  With paper money clearly visable sticking out of the fold.  Unbellievable.  I found the owner's name inside and gave them a call, leaving a message on their machine.
We don't get a lot of walkers on my road. Maybe a jogger once in a while, or someone walking a dog, but I'm still in awe of the action of putting it where it would be noticed and leaving the money untouched.  Pretty cool 

I feel like doing someone a good deed today, like that commercial where a chain reaction of good deeds is started


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## GhettoRacingKid (Sep 22, 2008)

pay it forward.  

all we need is halley joel osmond to see bruce willis and we will be set.

good for you for doing the right thing.


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## lyndalou (Sep 22, 2008)

My husband lost his wallet a few months ago. As you all know, your life is in your wallet. Anyway, we immediately notified all of our credit card companies (3) , Social Security, the Military, you get my drift. We received new cards and went on vacation. When we returned, we had a message from "Rick" who said he had something for my husband. It was the wallet. No cash in it, but we were relieved to have everything else back.


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## smoke king (Sep 22, 2008)

GhettoRacingKid said:


> pay it forward.



True that.

Good Karma to you brother.


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## B'sgirl (Sep 22, 2008)

I'm glad you did the right thing!


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## pacanis (Sep 22, 2008)

Me? Sure I did the right thing, I'm just surprised someone else did.
And I'm glad I happened to see it sitting there.


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## kitchenelf (Sep 22, 2008)

It warms the heart, doesn't it?


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## larry_stewart (Sep 22, 2008)

MY wife got a flat tire on a busy road.  Many people passed her.  As she was on the cell with me, a guy pulled over, told her that he was there to help, that he was married, showed his wedding ring and even his wallet to prove he was who he was.  She stayed on the cell with me as he changed her tire for her. ( this was on the middle of the day).  WE got his address and sent him a $50 gift certificate to an Italian restaurant in the area.  What is a shame is that we have to have some fear when a stranger stops to help.  But , he realized she would be suspicious and ID'd himself (sure it could have been fake ID and all that ),  but we in turn, did the right thing by rewarding this guy for doing something he didnt have to do.  More people should help one another.


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## quicksilver (Sep 22, 2008)

Pan, go buy a lottery ticket today. They say you get it back 10 fold. Who knows?!?


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## LEFSElover (Sep 22, 2008)

pacanis said:


> I went to gather my garbage bin this morning from the end of the drive. I noticed something draped over one of my driveway markers. It was a wallet/changepurse/key holder. With paper money clearly visable sticking out of the fold. Unbellievable. I found the owner's name inside and gave them a call, leaving a message on their machine.
> We don't get a lot of walkers on my road. Maybe a jogger once in a while, or someone walking a dog, but I'm still in awe of the action of putting it where it would be noticed and leaving the money untouched. Pretty cool I feel like doing someone a good deed today, like that commercial where a chain reaction of good deeds is started


I love that commercial. I also enjoyed GRK's Pay it Forward thought. I loved that movie. I cry every time I watch it. I think I did a post about what one thing you did good today a long time ago. Think it ended up on the back page somewhere. I think it's a good subject though for future thread. "What, today, did you do to make someone's day more special or even a little special" please post what it was. It's a positive thing to do, to make people realize it's the little things in life, things that people don't realize matter [but do] that put it all together and that equals a good deed.

Either way, that's a neat story about the wallet. Very inspiring a good way to start the day........thanks for posting...........


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## pdswife (Sep 22, 2008)

Good to know that there's still nice honest people out there!


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## GhettoRacingKid (Sep 22, 2008)

definitly is a good way to start the day.

I know once the person gets back the wallet that they are looking for and probably going crazy with will be releaved.  

I think everyone touches someone on a daily basis.  Sometimes just a simple hey how is it going or whats up as your passing can really change someones day.


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## Claire (Sep 22, 2008)

I have often joked that I could leave my purse in the middle of the grocery store parking lot and it would find its way back to me ... yes, small town.  I don't think the same thing would happen anywhere else I lived.  A few years ago friends visited with their young daughters and I honestly had forgotten how protective you have to be of children, because nothing would happen to them here.  My friends were escorting them to the ladies' room.  Ouch.  A reminder that it really is a mean world out there and I'm lucky to have found a spot that is not.


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## roadfix (Sep 22, 2008)

Very nice.  Great thread.


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## sattie (Sep 22, 2008)

Doing something good (specially where you have the choice to do something selfish for yourself) always makes you feel good.  I left my wallet in a shopping cart outside and did not realize I had done this till several days later.  It was amazing that the guy who found it returned it to the store with everything in tact.

Not to long back, I got a couple jars of salsa from the farmers market and realized I did not get charged for them after I got home.  I went back and paid for them... or at least tried to.  He only charged me for one as a reward for my honesty.


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## Constance (Sep 22, 2008)

My daughter used to do my grocery shopping when I was busy in the greenhouse, and I'd sign a blank check for her. She laid the checkbook on top of her car and took off without thinking about it. 
A few days later, I got a phone call from a teenager who lived in the Federal Housing down the road, where it had fallen off the roof of the car. He could have had a big shopping trip on that signed check, but he returned it instead. I rewarded him $20, which was a pretty good amount in 1983.


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## LPBeier (Sep 22, 2008)

I remember on the first anniversary of 911 I got this real urge to do a random act of kindness but didn't know what.  It came to me while picking the wild blackberries hanging over our back fence.  I would bake a pie.

I baked this fresh blackberry pie and then headed to our church just before our Elders were meeting.  Their meetings are always very long and intense and as far as I knew they never had any refreshments.  So I made a pot of coffee, gathered cups, cream sugar, plates, cutlery, etc. and just left it in their meeting room.  The pie was still warm when I left it.  

The next day an email went out to the whole congregation thanking "whoever left the wonderful treat for our elders last night".  I never told and to my knowledge no one found out.

Every year I try to do something similar, though unfortunately this year I was trapped in a hospital bed so all I got to do was tell all my nurses what an incredible job they were doing (appreciated but hardly anonymous).

Thanks for sharing and by the way, I think getting that wallet back to the owner IS your good deed for the day!


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## Barbara L (Sep 22, 2008)

No doubt in my mind that you would do the right thing, as you did pacanis.  I'm glad the other person did too (do you suppose the person the wallet belonged to might have put it there while tying his/her shoes and just forgot it?).

I'm glad there are still good people in the world!

Barbara


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## pacanis (Sep 22, 2008)

That's an interesting thought Barbara. They may have.


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## pacanis (Sep 22, 2008)

The wallet was just picked up.
The owner's parents live kind of next to me. The owner and her husband just bought the house up the road, but are still living in their apt. Still, a lot of driving up and down the road between her parents' house and their new house.
She said that she probably set it on the roof of her car because she's always doing that.... At least she was honest, lol. And so was whoever found it and left it for me to find.


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## Fisher's Mom (Sep 22, 2008)

I'm so glad you posted this, pacanis. I've had some exceptional small town experiences myself in the last week that have just warmed my heart (I was the recipient of the kindness.) It's so nice to know that it's happening everywhere. And in case you don't know it, the owner of that wallet will remember this forever with a big smile!


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## marigeorge (Sep 22, 2008)

Pacanis, I love small towns for the fact that people seem to be more apt to look out for their own. You are a treasure for caring enough to find the owner of the wallet.


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## LPBeier (Sep 22, 2008)

Oh, Pacanis, I am glad you know at least part of the story.  Thanks for sharing all of this.  You are such a kind soul.  I hope this person really appreciates your part in the return of her wallet.

Thank you so much for sharing.


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## DaveSoMD (Sep 22, 2008)

You are a good man Pacanis! 

We went through a fast-food drive through the other weekend. It was very busy and there was a new person being trained on the window. The Manager was all over trying to help and train him and completely distracted him. As I pulled away I realized he gave be back $14 dollars more change then he should have. I brought the moneny back to them and you would have thought I had 3 heads by the reaction. I got the strangest look and .. "um....oh..thanks". Guess I shocked them.


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## MexicoKaren (Sep 22, 2008)

Like others, I am not a bit surprised that you did the right thing, pacanis.  I had you figured for a good guy. But thanks for sharing the story with us, because it inspired others to share similar stories. There are plenty of good things going on in our everyday lives that give us (and others) the optimism we need to counter all the bad news that we hear every day.


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## roadfix (Sep 22, 2008)

DaveSoMD said:


> You are a good man Pacanis!
> 
> We went through a fast-food drive through the other weekend. It was very busy and there was a new person being trained on the window. The Manager was all over trying to help and train him and completely distracted him. As I pulled away I realized he gave be back $14 dollars more change then he should have. I brought the moneny back to them and you would have thought I had 3 heads by the reaction. I got the strangest look and .. "um....oh..thanks". Guess I shocked them.




I get that 'shocked look' often too from our clients.  When paying cash, bills would often stick together, especially new bills, when being handed to me.  Over the years, I've gotten many sandwiched  20 dollar bills which I immediately noticed and handed back to clients.


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## luvs (Sep 22, 2008)

you're thread is great, pancanis! & you're great, too!


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## pacanis (Sep 22, 2008)

Noooo luvs, I'm not great. Like I said before, I know I'm honest. I commend the first person who found the wallet/purse thing and set it where it would be found.
Maybe it's how I grew up, but I guess I expect the worse out of a stranger before the best, and I was truly shocked to see it laying there.

But thanks anyway


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## middie (Sep 23, 2008)

Just a few eeks ago Don lost his wallet when he went to the drug-store. Strangely enough the person who found it knows Don's aunt so he called her to say I found your nephew's wallet.


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## Barbara L (Sep 23, 2008)

pacanis said:


> Noooo luvs, I'm not great. Like I said before, I know I'm honest. I commend the first person who found the wallet/purse thing and set it where it would be found.
> Maybe it's how I grew up, but I guess I expect the worse out of a stranger before the best, and I was truly shocked to see it laying there.
> 
> But thanks anyway


LOL  I have always expected people to do the right thing, so when I go back to pay for something I wasn't charged for, or if I show them they gave me too much change, etc., it always amazes me that they are shocked that someone did the right thing!



middie said:


> Just a few eeks ago Don lost his wallet when he went to the drug-store. Strangely enough the person who found it knows Don's aunt so he called her to say I found your nephew's wallet.


I wonder why she didn't call Don?  Maybe she wanted to tattle on him by telling his aunt!  LOL

Barbara


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## jpmcgrew (Sep 23, 2008)

I don't think anybody should keep what dos not belong to them. Dh and I believe you should always help someone in any way you can. I believe because of that our lives are richer in many ways.


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## smoke king (Sep 23, 2008)

jpmcgrew said:


> I don't think anybody should keep what dos not belong to them. Dh and I believe you should always help someone in any way you can. I believe because of that our lives are richer in many ways.




Amen to that-Doing the right thing is its own reward.


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## suziquzie (Sep 23, 2008)

Pacanis I have the same issue. I don't trust people before I do....
May be an east cost thing.... may not... but I don't care where you live
LOCK YOUR DOORS!!!!
Duh.


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## mikki (Sep 23, 2008)

I left my purse in a Walmart shopping cart just after cashing my pay check, It took me an hour to realize where I left it, I returned to the walmart thinking for sure if it got turned in the money would be gone. To my suprise some very nice woman turned it in with nothing touched. The commical thing was that the Walmart manager asked for ID when I saw the purse and said it was mine.  I looked at her and laughed and she must have realized that all my ID was in my purse, she then asked if I could tell her what was in the outside pocket. I was very lucky that day.
Way to be honest pacanis!!!


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## Barbara L (Sep 23, 2008)

suziquzie said:


> Pacanis I have the same issue. I don't trust people before I do....
> May be an east cost thing.... may not... but I don't care where you live
> LOCK YOUR DOORS!!!!
> Duh.


Growing up in southern California, I always lock my doors.  Like I always told my kids at school (when the subject came up), you could lay all your money out on your front lawn as far as I'm concerned.  But, as I told them, I wouldn't recommend it!  Too many people give in to temptation.  

Barbara


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## pacanis (Sep 23, 2008)

Hey, I may have passed that Walmart when I went out for a bike ride last week.
I took 394 to the new bike shop in Jamestown. Very scenic ride. No traffic til I got into town.
And are you kidding me?! A combination Taco Bell/KFC in the _same building_!
How cool is that?!


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## roadfix (Sep 23, 2008)

pacanis said:


> Hey, I may have passed that Walmart when I went out for a bike ride last week.
> I took 394 to the new bike shop in Jamestown. Very scenic ride. No traffic til I got into town.
> And are you kidding me?! A combination Taco Bell/KFC in the _same building_!
> How cool is that?!



Very cool!....a fellow cyclist.  

Actually, here in CA, Taco Bell & KFC can be found together under the same roof in many locations.  I think a parent company owns them both, including a pizza chain as well.


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## Barbara L (Sep 23, 2008)

roadfix said:


> Very cool!....a fellow cyclist.
> 
> Actually, here in CA, Taco Bell & KFC can be found together under the same roof in many locations. I think a parent company owns them both, including a pizza chain as well.


Yep, Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, and possibly another (A&W?) are owned by the same people.  You can find various combinations in many places.

Barbara


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## pacanis (Sep 23, 2008)

Well it was a first for me.
It just goes to show you how slow my own town and the city to the west is. I take a 60 minute putt into NY and I run into this fine establishment in a town much smaller than Erie.
I would have stopped except I wouldn't have known what to order


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## Barbara L (Sep 23, 2008)

pacanis said:


> ...A combination Taco Bell/KFC in the _same building_!
> How cool is that?!


 


pacanis said:


> Well it was a first for me.
> It just goes to show you how slow my own town and the city to the west is. I take a 60 minute putt into NY and I run into this fine establishment in a town much smaller than Erie.
> I would have stopped except I wouldn't have known what to order


A chicken taco of course!  

Barbara


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## pacanis (Sep 23, 2008)

Yo quiero Taco KFC


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## suziquzie (Sep 23, 2008)

dang it, now I'll have a pic of a teeny little spanish speaking chihuahua w/ chicken legs running thru my dreams all night.....


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## pacanis (Sep 23, 2008)

suziquzie said:


> dang it, now I'll have a pic of a teeny little spanish speaking chihuahua w/ chicken legs running thru my dreams all night.....


 
Hot or mild, hot or mild, I must know.....
I mean crispy or regular, crispy or regular...


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## Saphellae (Sep 23, 2008)

Quite a creepy vision.. *shudders* A chihuahua is bad enough lol

Man those dogs bug me. OK, yeah they are cute in their own way, but mannn.

That movie coming out about blinged-out chihuahua's scares me.


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## DaveSoMD (Sep 24, 2008)

Barbara L said:


> Yep, Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, and possibly another (A&W?) are owned by the same people. You can find various combinations in many places.
> 
> Barbara


 
Down here we have 2 Kentucky Fried / Taco Bells, and we are getting an A&W/Long John Silver's.  It is going in next to the Wendy's and the KFC, which is across the street from the Pizza Hut.  Hmmmm arent' they ALL owned by the same company?  

Up in NY where my Mom is they have a Taco Bell / Long John Silver's.


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## mikki (Sep 24, 2008)

pacanis- You went right by my road. The new Harley shop is beautiful. The first and only time wew ate at the KFC/Taco Bell it was dirty/nasty and any other gross word you can think of, that was a few years ago so it might be better now.


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## Lynd (Sep 24, 2008)

Nice to see the person before you, and yourself doing the right thing. Hopefully it will be passed on.


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## pacanis (Sep 24, 2008)

mikki said:


> pacanis- *You went right by my road*. The new Harley shop is beautiful. The first and only time wew ate at the KFC/Taco Bell it was dirty/nasty and any other gross word you can think of, that was a few years ago so it might be better now.


 
I remember seeing a sign that said Ashville 1......
I wasn't sure if it meant how many miles, or the population


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## letscook (Sep 24, 2008)

Quite a few years ago, while driving on New York Thruway we got a flat tire.  Husband goes to get the spare tire out and the jack, the handle for the jack was missing, as he took it out to use on something at home and never put it back.  As we are thinking the next step. We realize he still had a bucket of tools in the back from a repair job he did, which had an electric drill  with the drill bit still in the drill. (a good size bit) so I said will this help. We put it in the jack and it it fit. It however did look alittle strange a electric drill with a cord hanging out of a jack.  it had to be a good laugh for ones going by. While it was jacking up and for some reason it stopped and won't go up up any further. we still had to have it go up more.  While trying to work at it letting it down and up again and no change, A car came up upon us and slowed down. In the car was about 6 nuns.  One waved and the others gave us the sign of the cross.  our daughter (7 or 8 yrs.at the time) states "Well that will help and Laughed"  Then a second or 2 later the jacked worked - changed the tire and we were on our way.  All smile and laughs at the whole event.  Did that we put extra in the collection plate.

One thing I alway do is - When I see a vehicle that has been to the lumber yard and then on the way home their items have slid out of their truck on to the highway.  Iknow some of you know about this as I have had it happen.  I always stop to help as i remenber how embrassing it is.  One time it was just me and the vehicle had to men in it right in the middle of the busiest part of the town.  I got out to help them and they were in shock to see a women help them. They wanted to pay me and i told them to put it away - It has happen to me so next time you see someone in the same situation stop and help them.  So they said you got a deal and we left to go our separte ways.


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## mikki (Sep 24, 2008)

yeah pacanis, Ashville is definatly a small town if you blink you miss it. I actually live on the outskirts. Out where the deer and antelope play.


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## buckytom (Oct 13, 2008)

man, have i got a devil in me tonight...

pacanis, maybe the neighbors were just testing you. how much was in the wallet?


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## pacanis (Oct 13, 2008)

buckytom said:


> man, have i got a devil in me tonight...
> 
> pacanis, maybe the neighbors were just testing you. how much was in the wallet?


 
I don't remember. It was _too long ago.  _


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## buckytom (Oct 13, 2008)

lol.

ok, i'm off to nw pa., with a wallet stuffed with $50's attached to a fishing line and high speed reel...

let's see who takes the bait and runs, and who looks for the owner.


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## pacanis (Oct 13, 2008)

It's huntin' season here, BT.
You may want to ditch the Joisey plates if you are going to be laying in wait.


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