By the time I ascended to the Metro exit last Thursday night, I was angry with myself for having slept two stations past my stop and it being too late for a return trip. In deciding to be fiscally prudent and save the cab fare, I had doubled the fare home. It wasn’t until I was at the gate that I realized that my money clip (with my SmartTrip Card) was still on the train.
I resigned myself to having lost a couple hundred in cash, my drivers license, a credit card or two, and the several hours it would take to replace all of them, but first I had to exit the station.
“Excuse me, I left my wallet on the train, and it had my Smart Trip in there” I said to the attendant who was a few minutes from going home. I fully expected him to direct me towards the emergency exit and my fate of losing cash and time.
“What car were you on” he asks.
“The last one; it’s closest to the exit at my normal stop.”
“OK, hang on a second” he says and makes a phone call.
I am shocked by his efforts but still have low expectations.
“We found it. Let’s head downstairs; train should be here in a couple minutes.”
Five minutes later I have cash for the cab ride home, the same ugly picture on my license, and a renewed sense of the integrity and customer service of Metro employees.
One person went out of his way to help me, and two people looked at cash and decided to return it to its owner. Doing the right thing when no one is watching takes true honor.
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It should be noted that my money clip does not have a monogram – I have no trouble remembering my own initials.
Posted by restaurant refugee 
