Lord God Angry Over Taxi Drivers Decision to Return Money

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Alex

Personally, giving someone nine months ($1,000) pay for simply doing their job does seem excessive (and, to me, insultingly so).

Like I said, it depends. If that's nine months pay, it means he found 12.75 YEARS of pay. If you earn 50 thou a year in our wonderful country (to pick a nice round number) the equivalent is $637,500 dollars. I'll take that down to another nice round number and say that if I returned $500,000 (in somewhat disposable income, as I stipulated earlier) to someone, then yes, I would feel a tiny bit miffed if all I got back was one week's pay (little less than a thousand bucks). I would probably feel fortunate that it was me that found the money, and therefore, got paid something for pure happenstance, and so I'd accept the gift graciously. Still, one percent ain't much in my very subjective opinion.

To me, it doesn't matter what the guy makes, it's about percentage of the amount the owner had thought they'd lost. Again, I'm not going to have a perfect rationale why I feel this way, it's just my gut.

Don't get me wrong - if I find a quarter on the floor at the library I turn it in at the desk for the day, and if no one claims it, it goes in the donation box.