Saturday, April 18, 2009

Honesty is the Best Policy

Yesterday Darby and I needed to go to a bookstore to get some books for her summer reading. We looked, found the books we wanted, and then bought them. Having bought quite a few books, the bag was understandably weighty.

When we got home, Darby emptied the bag and asked me about a particular book. A large book. A hardback book. A book that cost $35! Yikes! A book I know that I didn't buy because my whole purchase was about $30. I looked over the receipt again just to make sure and sure enough this book was not on it.

Today I took the book back and told the cashier what had happened and that I just wanted to return the book. The three tellers that were there were all standing there with their mouths open! They went on and on about the fact that I was returning a book, an expensive book, a book that I could have kept without anyone knowing. I was told to stay there at the counter and wait a moment. One of the cashiers left and within a few minutes came back and gave me a $5 gift card!

Though I will use the gift card and appreciate getting it, I think their reaction to my being honest is so sad! It broke my heart to hear them raving about what a good deed I was doing. Can you imagine having the same thing happen to you and NOT returning the book? It never even crossed my mind and I am disturbed that apparently it does cross so many minds.

I do love the $5 though! Can't wait to use it!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

MELISSA WILLIAMS' MOM SAYS:
Hey Lisa...you did the right thing! Not only were you rewarded $5 but your honesty obviously made a huge impact on the employees there. You're right...it IS sad when a simple act of "do-the-right-thing-and-be-honest" shocks someone!!! What you did is just another way of showing the world you are a Christian without waving a flag or marching up and down the street! Your action, quiet and simple as it was, reverberated through that store and it's employees! And just think of what kind of an example to YOUR KIDS you were!!! They saw Christ in you by what you did... WAY TO GO GIRL!!!!!
Deborah Lindley, Melissa Williams' mom here in Little Rock

The Cornelisons said...

A similiar incident happened to me once and when I went back to pay for the item the people were shocked. It was quite sad and I was sad they had that reaction in front of my child.