Lost and Found

I was walking to the grocery story today and just a few feet from our door I found a crispy €50 bill (that's $66).

I hate when that happens.

It was folded in half and then in half again. I spotted it just as an elderly woman coming toward me spotted it as well. She had a surprised look on her face, but said nothing.

I picked it up knowing it couldn't be hers because she was approaching just as I was.

The frituur (place to get lekker fries) had a line of people spilling out the door. It could belong to any of them.

Only the elderly woman and me were on the sidewalk.

Beside the 50 was a parked car. A young man of about 30 years was on the other side of the car placing his daughter in her car seat. He was the closest person (besides me and the elderly woman) to the 50. I went around to where he was and asked him in English, without thinking, of course . . . "Is this yours?"

He looked surprised and answered, in perfect English, of course . . . "I'm not sure." He pulled keys and a folded up €10 bill from his pocket and said . . . "I did have some cash, but I don't know if it is mine."

I said . . . "Did you have a 50?" (You would think he would remember this.)

He answered . . . "I'm not sure."

So I said . . . "Well, it isn't mine" and handed it to him. He looked surprised again and said . . . "Thank you" and that was that.

I walked away hoping I'd done the right thing.

I'll never know for sure who just lost their 50, but what I did know for sure . . .

it wasn't mine.