OK, so I wasn't short-changed

Has this ever happened to you?

I went through the drive-thru Tuesday morning at the Hardback Coffee at Hasting's on Georgia. I ordered a coffee with cream -- $1.84 with tax. Being the obscenely rich person that I am, I paid with a $20. As I was checking my change while leaving, I noticed only $13 or so. I had been shorted a $5.

An honest mistake, and so I pulled back into the parking lot and went inside with my change and receipt. No problem, they said. They apologized and gave me a $5. Well, that was easy.

Then when I got in my car, I saw an extra $5 that had fallen between the passenger seat and the console. They didn't short-change me after all. Hey, a walk on the wild side.

Now this is the point in the movie when the little deveil sits on one shoulder, and the little angel sits on the other. Who to listen to? What to do? Actually, I was governed by only one credo: Do the right thing.

So Wednesday morning, I walked in and ordered a coffee before work. I give the manager the extra $5 and explain what happened Tuesday when I thought I was short-changed. And you know what he did.

HE TOOK THE MONEY!! Let me repeat: HE TOOK THE MONEY.

Can you believe it? In the back of my naive mind, I'm thinking he would have said, "Oh, Mr. Beilue, it's so gratifying to still find a honest person in this world. You keep the $5. As a matter of fact, the coffee is on us, and here's another $5 for being so honest."

But he just flat took the money, and thanked me and said that happens sometimes.

Actually, I had a mini-speech prepared if he refused the money or didn't remember the incident. But it wasn't necessary.