Finding a blank check (Sept. 16, 2008)

Current mood: peaceful

What would you do if you happened upon a signed, negotiable check for $271, with the "Pay To" field blank? This happened to me today.

I drove my neighbor to a doctor's appointment today, dropped her at the door, and parked the car. On my way back into the immense medical complex, as I passed a windowsill, I spotted an envelope. In it were some tax papers, a signed check for the amount of tax to be paid, and the envelope to mail it in. What was missing was the entry on the check of who to pay $271 to.

There probably are people who, in such a situation, would print their name on the check, chase straightaway off to a bank, and pocket $271. I am not one of those people.

I took the liberty of rescuing the entire package, reading the tax papers closely enough to figure out whose they were, and making a series of phone calls to that person, leaving my name so that I could reunite said person with said papers. I even left a written note on the windowsill for the owner.

Sure enough, a couple hours later, the phone rang, arrangements were made, and shortly the check and the papers were back in the owner's hand.

I really like doing someone an unexpected favor while I'm doing someone else a scheduled favor.