Ross: Good people return what鈥檚 not theirs
Apr 13, 2021, 6:31 AM | Updated: 9:27 am
One of three murals commissioned by the Ballard Alliance painted by Tori Shao. Local artists are working to lift spirits by bringing color to drab plywood-covered windows in Ballard. (Photo courtesy of SDOT/Flickr)
(Photo courtesy of SDOT/Flickr)
It was one of the most-commented stories in the Seattle Times: headlined, 鈥淵ou return $10,000 found on Issaquah road: Your reward?鈥�
And it was the story of a guy named Steve who, on his way to Costco, saw money scattered in the street. It was bunch of 100 bills totaling about $10,000. And along with the cash, an ID.
My first take when I read the story was 鈥� $10,000 cash 鈥� what if it鈥檚 drug money? What if I call the guy and he turns out to be El Chapo?
That鈥檚 because I read way too much news. Even when I just find a dime or a quarter, I always look around to see if there鈥檚 some grad student in the bushes taking notes for his thesis on human psychology.
But most of the commenters on Nicole鈥檚 story were much more trusting than that. They would call the guy without a second thought, and wouldn鈥檛 even want a reward. Because good people return what鈥檚 not theirs. It鈥檚 just what you do.
My favorite comment came from Seattle Times user #1515-6804-07-1142, (who鈥檚 been a member since 2018) and who said:
鈥淒oing the right thing towards one another is an important way through which we build and sustain a society with cohesion and mutual trust. 鈥� These are very important 鈥� as we become more and more diverse.鈥�
Who is this user 1515-6804-07-1142, I wondered. So I read on: 鈥淲hen I came to the US over 20 years ago, I was astonished that I could just leave my backpack in a university classroom and it wouldn鈥檛 get stolen. 鈥� I鈥檝e since then realized that trust (among strangers) is an important mechanism that makes America successful.鈥�
This came from an immigrant 鈥� grateful to be here because Americans trust each other. For a moment I thought, maybe he鈥檚 confusing us with Canada?
But why not make it so? There鈥檚 your homework. Figure out how to earn someone鈥檚 trust. Stop cheerfully at the crosswalk. Secure your mask as you approach someone on the sidewalk. Or start scouring the neighborhood for lost money to return.
I鈥檒l be watching from the bushes with a notepad.
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