Stories of Kindness from Around the World

A Wallet of an Old Man


--by SmileHiClub, posted Jun 8, 2007

There I was, a sole-parent, walking down the street. The week had been hard and today was full with bill paying and running errangs.

As I walked the street, with my head down deep in thought, I noticed something unusual in the gutter. Moving towards the object, I realised it was a wallet. I picked it up and immediately looked up and around for the first time that day.

The street was bare with only one shop -- Guidedogs for the Blind.  Standing there, my first thought was that perhaps someone would return to claim the wallet.  But after a while, I realized I needed to be proactive. 

I opened the wallet to find a name or some identification.  While looking through it, I noticed something like $400, all neatly stacked in fifty dollar notes!   I eventually found a name but no phone number or address.   My only clue was that this man was a senior and the money was probably his pension for a fortnight.

Armed with a name I walked into the nearby Guidedogs for the Blind Shop.

All alone in the corner was an elderly man with a walking stick, who looked like he had taken a fall. As I approached him, he looked up at me, still a bit shaken, and said, "Hello."  I asked him his name and indeed it matched the name in the wallet! 

I returned his wallet and his eyes lit up he shook my hand and through tear filled eyes he said, "Thank-you sweetie! Hope you have a nice day today."

I did have a beautiful day. The sky was brilliant blue and I smiled all day to know that I had returned that wallet and helped that man. It doesn't have to cost anything to help someone and it allows you to reap rewards that aren't always material.

4866 Reads

Readers Comments

sleepytomato wrote: Hahahaa, well said, indeed! Material goods aren't what we should be striving for, but rather for personal enhancement and a mindset that is set out to do good, to "save the world," to help others :)
warmth wrote: well done. He must have thanked u many times from his heart and sent his blessings to u.
Regards
warmth
AURELIA wrote: SmileHiClub, You were certainly tempted by that wallet. I'm proud of you for doing the right thing and helping the elderly man. When he gets to heaven, you'll be who he'll look out for...God Bless You.~Aurelia
MakeSomeoneSmile wrote: That is a terrific thing you did. There is hope for the world with people like you in it!
brighteyes wrote: I AM APPLAUDING YOU..YOUR HONESTY, YOUR KINDNESS AND LASTLY YOUR DILIGENCE TO SEARCH AND FIND THE OWNER OF THE WALLET. ANOTHER HERO TO ADD TO MY LIST TODAY.
THANKS for the Uplift1 Brighteyes
Roxie wrote: What a wonderful feeling that must have been!!! God is smiling on you for sure!!! Have a wonderful day!
lovebug wrote: Honesty, has its own rewards, it might not come back in the form of money, but it will come back when you are in need.
jan2008 wrote: That was very kind of you, I am sure the man was truly grateful.
irongrace wrote: ecellent, you made his day
wings wrote: simple but loving act.
be honest even if others are not.
keep it up.

Add A Comment