Is It Wrong?

You know those self check-out machine's at Wal-Mart?  If you pay with cash, it spits your change out "below the scanner" like the woman inside the machine tells you.  So, if the woman inside the machine tells the person and they don't take their money... it's really their fault, right?  So, that money is like fair game for the next self-check outer.

Well, last week at Wal-Mart I was waiting in line behind this guy at the self check out.  He paid, got his stuff, took his receipt and headed out.  My turn.  I start scanning my items and then to my pleasant surprise I see some cash money... $3 to be exact.  So, before I bend down to pick it up I look behind my left shoulder. Clear.  I look behind my right shoulder.  I see the guy that left it is almost out of the store.  Sorta clear.  So, I bend down grab the money and bam!  Three dollars richer!!!!

Now, I'm thinking to myself... "Oh snap!  I better check out and high tail it outta here before a) he comes back or b) someone around me saw and is gonna say something."

But, then I'm also thinking "You snooze, you lose sucker!  I probably need it more than him anyway!"

You know it could be like pay it forward.  At least it makes me feel less guilty if I think about that way.  If you will remember back to when I gave all my change to the Fireman for Fill The Boot and then at the zoo I had no change for a drink at the coke machine.  I'm finally getting re-paid.

The only thing is, that was the second time I scored some cash from the self-check out.  The first time some old lady didn't take her money... so I did.  I bet I could make some serious cash if I just hung out at Wal-Mart all day long and watched the people that didn't pay attention to that chick inside the machine that says "Thank you, cash is dispensed below the scanner."  But, one of these days after I cram $3 in my pocket, the What Would You Do crew from ABC is gonna bombard me, and you'll see me on TV trying to explain myself.  I can't imagine trying to explain to John Quinones that the only reason I felt compelled to take the cash is because one day in June I gave a fireman standing in the road all my change and then I didn't have any change for a drink out of the coke machine and that zoo is the only freaking place in Texas that doesn't take debit cards or have ATM machine.

Maybe next time I'll be a good citizen (like my husband) and chase the poor fool down to give him his money.  Maybe.  Depends on how much it is.  And if my husband is with me, because he would disapprove for sure.  At least he does enough good deeds on a daily basis to make up for my character flaws.