I grabbed the formula and then a box of Cascade Dishwasher detergent and ran to the check out. All the lines were long so the Japanese clerk at Self Check waved me over seeing I only had a few items. As she helped me, I told her I needed to pay for the Cascade three times. I started to explain and since she didn't understand me, she waved a manager, also a Japanese woman, over to help.
I told them that the last time I was in the Commissary, I put two boxes of Cascade on the bottom of the cart. When I went to check out, I didn't notice them and made it to the car without paying for them--and then didn't have time to run back in. It had been bugging me for a week and I was happy to finally be taking care of the matter so I could finally take the boxes into the house.
Once both women finally understood they looked at me wide-eyed and praised me for my honesty. (I felt like saying "I'm a Mormon. We don't shoplift--unintentionally or otherwise!*" but instead I just smiled.) Then, before I left, the manager told me a story:
An old man had walked into the store and asked to pay for something he had acquired under similar circumstances to mine. She had also praised him for his honesty and he replied; (and the story teller touched her head, ears and heart as she said;)
"I don't have my hair, I don't have my hearing, but I have my dignity!"
Awesome.
Reminded me of this story; "Three Towels and a 25-Cent Newspaper"
...Some 30 years ago, while working in the corporate world, some business associates and I were passing through O’Hare Airport in Chicago, Illinois. One of these men had just sold his company for tens of millions of dollars—in other words, he was not poor.
As we were passing a newspaper vending machine, this individual put a quarter in the machine, opened the door to the stack of papers inside the machine, and began dispensing unpaid-for newspapers to each of us. When he handed me a newspaper, I put a quarter in the machine and, trying not to offend but to make a point, jokingly said, “Jim, for 25 cents I can maintain my integrity. A dollar, questionable, but 25 cents—no, not for 25 cents.” You see, I remembered well the experience of three towels and a broken-down 1941 Hudson. A few minutes later we passed the same newspaper vending machine. I noticed that Jim had broken away from our group and was stuffing quarters in the vending machine. I tell you this incident not to portray myself as an unusual example of honesty, but only to emphasize the lessons of three towels and a 25-cent newspaper.... (Read the whole talk HERE.)
Richard C. Edgley, Presiding Bishopric
Any similar stories you have to share?
Happy Sunday!
*I can not speak for all Mormons. But I can safely say that I'm just not all that special. Any and all of my friends or family would have done the exact same thing.
6 comments:
Mmm. I like your story.
But you know what is the WORST? When someone gets annoyed if you run back in and pay for something small that you missed in your cart. They're like-why didn't you just take it? Ummm...hello!!!
I just had an experience with this - I was at the thrift store and didn't see a couple of items in the bottom of my stroller bag. When I was unloading everything into my car, I saw them, and drove up to the entrance, ran inside, and dropped them off at the cashiers (since there were a ton of people in line, I didn't have time to buy them, with my kids in the car). She looked incredibly surprised, and didn't know what to say. To me it was funny, because why would I do anything else? It wasn't even tempting to cut and run (with a one dollar pepper grinder, and some socks). I think it's very normal for people with integrity, whatever their religion, to do this, which I think it great.
"I think it's very normal for people with integrity, whatever their religion, to do this, which I think it great."
True that!
I LOVED this story! :) Thank you for being you and representing the Savior so simply well in your day to day activities....regardless where we live on this plant....integrity is a universal truth. You rock! :)
Great post! People are too quick to return to the store when they find out they have been over charged for something demanding their 35 cents but how quick are we to return when we have been undercharged. You are a great example of honesty.
I think it's so hard for some people to believe because they don't think there's anything wrong with taking advantage of someone especially if you didn't mean to. I have been surprised sometimes to hear people in similar situations happy to keep the "free" merchandise. Crazy to me! Thanks for sharing. I have that quote in my quote file. :)
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