This is a heartwarming tale. Perhaps a happy contrast to yesterday's post about poor Vince the Rhino.
On Wednesday afternoon, after I had hobbled up to the bank with the Oxfam shop's takings for the day, I had to spend a couple of hours on the till. Halfway through this time, a gentleman came through the doorway holding a brown leather belt.
He plonked it on the counter and said that he had bought it on Monday afternoon. For a microsecond, I thought he was going to complain about the belt and ask for his money back. Perhaps it didn't fit. Perhaps the stitching was loose. I noticed that the belt had a little zip along the edge, concealing no doubt - a narrow pocket.
Then, like a magician the man produced something else. It was a neatly folded piece of paper. He unfolded it and explained that he had found it hidden in the belt. It was an old style £50 note with the first Governor of the Bank of England's ugly mug staring back at me.
The man was giving the £50 note back to Oxfam! Such honesty is unusual these days. I am sure that many people would have simply viewed that banknote as treasure trove and kept it for themselves. It's worth sixty American dollars or eighty one Australian dollars.
Sometimes... people can be so good they surprise you and make you proud to be a human being. Not all of us are rhinoceros killers.
In other news Leonardo da Pudding has completed yet another fox picture. I swear I am becoming a rabid vulpophile. And perhaps these fox paintings are not over yet...
Neil, he's lovely! (I mean Fred, although the man who took his surprise find back to the shop is also lovely.)
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in my early teens, I once found a wallet in the park. I can't remember how much money was in it; it wasn't a large sum, but it wasn't just a few Pfennig, either; more something along the lines of 30 Mark (15 Euros these days).
I found nothing in it to identify the owner and was all set for keeping the money. My Mum, who was there in the park with me, insisted on us taking the wallet to the lost & found office. We did that, and I had to fill in a form with my address etc. The officer told me I could ask about the wallet in half a year, and if nobody had requested it back, I could keep the money.
It seems your story is incomplete Meike. What I/we need to know is did you get to keep the money? Good on your mother for making you do the right thing.
DeleteI vaguely remember that I did go back after half a year and was allowed to take the money home - after they deducted an administrative fee. But I'll ask my Mum, her memory of such things is better.
DeleteWe become so inundated and overcome by the wrong that is done by some among us...it is easy to overlook the good in people. That was a truly heartwarming, wonderful gesture by that person. People like him do restore one's faith in human nature. Good on him...I hope karma treats him kindly.
ReplyDeleteThat is a very effective rendition of Fred, Yorkie. Well done. :)
I think his name must have been Jesus.
DeletePleased my latest effort gets the thumbs up from Tamborine Mountain
A great story and a lovely painting! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete(Leonardo da Pudding made me laugh!)
Glad to have given you a smile today Jennifer.
DeleteHow reassuring to know there are kind and honest people in the world.
ReplyDeleteLen de Pud.,(if I may use the name you are known by in select art circles?) that is a very good interpretation of Fred. I like it, and feel that it's an interesting style. Keep up the good work !
Why thank you Madam Coppa. Does that mean I get to have a ginger biscuit with my cocoa tonight?
DeleteA very nice painting YP, clearly you continue to improve and must be well pleased with your efforts.
ReplyDeleteThanks Derek. Still learning as I go along.
DeleteBeing an optimist, I like to think that most people would have returned the £50 note especially since it came from a charity shop. I probably wouldn't think twice about keeping it if I'd found it in something I bought from Gap or Primark!
ReplyDeleteSo you get your gear at Primark? No wonder you always look so cool!
DeleteLove that the gentleman returned the fifty pound note! Wow, your fox painting is very good.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kay. Do you think you would have returned the banknote?
DeleteHow refreshing to hear there are some honest people about after all. The press would have you believe otherwise (and I know it's only the bad ones that get the publicity). I love the fox picture.... if I painted a fox it would look like a rhino!
ReplyDeleteAnd if you painted a rhino you'd best try it while he's sleeping.
DeleteFred the Fox never looked so good! Bravo! I think you have found your style! I am impressed!
ReplyDeleteThank you Donna.
DeleteI would have kept the money! No, just joking, I'm a good person really.
ReplyDeleteAt least that's what you tell your friends...
DeleteThat's a good-news story and I enjoyed hearing about it, YP. Our kids could spot a penny from 100 yards, I'm sure. They used to argue over who saw lost money first, so we decided together that it should all go into a jar to be donated to the SPCA. Once they found a twenty-dollar bill at the mall. The lady at the mall office said if no one came to ask about it in the next week the children could have it. No one did, so it was theirs, and into the jar it went.
ReplyDeleteNow that is a different take on Fred - when I think of painting, this kind seems the hardest to me. Well done!
You trained your children well Jenny - instilling good values. and thanks for your nice comment about my picture.
DeleteI'm just wondering if the person who donated the belt should really get the money although, of course, it is highly unlikely that Oxfam knows who the donor was.
ReplyDeleteThe manager is going to hang on to the £50 note for a few weeks just in case the belt donor gets in touch.
DeleteI love the look of Fred in this one!
ReplyDeleteHow long is it since the "old style" note was in circulation?
I believe it went out of circulation in 2011 but it will still be honoured by The Bank of England.
DeleteVulpophile? I'll have to look that up. You needed this guy to come along after yesterday.
ReplyDeleteI know that you would have done the same Red.
DeleteVulpophile = lover of foxes.
Thanks.
DeleteI was brought up to be" honest", so would have given the note back to the shop too.
ReplyDeleteThat painting is fabulous! I was looking at my watercolour " teaching" books this morning in bed, and that is a start for me to eventually get the paints out again after probably a 10 year break!
Oh great! I am so glad that my painting renaissance has given you the idea of rediscovering this hobby/talent. Enjoy!
DeleteYes, heartwarming indeed...and a lovely pic too YP.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if someone was cleaning out stuff that belonged to their dad and just didn't bother looking at the belt very closely. In any event it is lovely to hear about decent honest people. As a side note as an expat of quite a few years why does a £50 note seem to me like more money than the equivalent in American dollars?
ReplyDeleteI like the latest fox painting! What an amazing gesture by the old guy -- and what a great find! How old is the bill? Could you tell?
ReplyDelete