The mother was overjoyed (seriously) that my dd had actually called and tried to find the owner. She just couldn't say enough thank-you's. Now she was spared the expense of buying her dd another phone. (Don't get me started...) When we refused a reward, she returned later with a giant cookie house as a gift.
I don't know about you, but if I misplace my cell phone, I get nervous. All my contact numbers - lots of them unlisted- are in there, not to mention all the charges that could be racked up on my bill.
Which leads me to my experience this morning.
During my run this morning I found a cell phone.
It was laying (lying?) face down, open, in the middle of the path, so I figured it must have dropped off someone's belt or whatever. I considered leaving it there, because maybe the person would be back to look for it, but decided that the chances of the owner finding it would be minimal, compared to the chances of a teenage boy finding it and using all the phone numbers in it for prank calls. To Australia.
So when I get home, I look to see if there is a "home" number in the contact list. Nope. I scroll through the contact list, looking for a name to call that looks promising. You know - like "hubby" or "sis" - but all I'm coming up with are names like Pixie and Butch. I kid you not.
So, since I don't have a death wish, I decide NOT to place a call to Butch at 6:30 in the morning. I'm banking on the assumption that the owner will call the phone.
About 9:30 a very nonchalant owner calls the phone, and lazily asks for my address so she can just swing by and get it. Kind of like she's asking if she can come by and pick up - I don't know - an old tire, or a few stalks of rhubarb...
She came by about an hour later. Sent her son (about age 7-8) up to the door to get it. He grabbed it out of my hand, ran back to the car, and she yelled "thank-you" out a rolled down window as she drove off.
And because I'm just like that, I yelled "you're welcome" - instead of
"Hey - I guarded your information like it was the Secret Coca-Cola recipe - AND nobody called Australia while that phone was in my care!"See? I can be mature.
6 comments:
If I ever lose my cell phone I hope YOU'RE the one who finds it! And if you do, the quickest way to find me is probably the 800-976-BABE listing. You know, just in case.
lol. Man, I wish the person who "found" my cell phone was as nice as you!! I lost it on Saturday, and I'm 99.9% sure that someone decided to hang onto it. Ugh. It's a palm, and I affectionately refer to it as my brain. I feel so violated that someone has all my information!!! Heck, maybe they'll show up to one of my appointments this week and hand it back to me. Here's hoping...
I have lost enough phones,(hate to admit) to consider going back to quarters at the pay phones. Except I think that went up to 35 cents and most have been removed because of potential drug deals.
randi: good job girl! you did the right thing. my primary class would praise you.
one time i found a cell phone (while on a hike with a gal friend). after we got back, i thought to look up any of the phone numbers that looked like home or family and it worked. i reached the owner and we agreed to meet at a nearby gas station (i did not feel comfortable having a stranger meet me at my home address). he was soooo happy and grateful acting that i picked it up and reached him and got it back to him without any violation or abuse of his property.
the reaction by your lady was sad, but you still did the right thing. that is what matters.
and i totally agree with you! little kids have no business carrying around cell phones. i think that is messed up when i see that. my teens ask me if they can get cell phones. i say the same thing every time -- sure, when you are on your own, have your own job, and you are paying for it, until then, NO WAY!
i don't want to raise that kind of kid. and even if i could afford it, i refuse to buy a kid a car. they have to learn to appreciate and value -- if everything is given to them easily with no effort on their part, how will they ever really understand and appreciate?
you got me on a roll asking about this subject. didn't mean to write ya a novel :)
chow baby, kathleen :)
I think i would DIE without my cell phone, as we well know... YOU GAVE OUR ADDRESS so some lady who is friends with Butch and Spike and who knows who else?!? What were you thinking?!
Good Point. Hadn't exactly thought of it that way.
Post a Comment