A Tale of Two Phones

Before Christmas Madison and I were in the mall. As we rode the escalator to the top floor a man in front of us started patting his pockets rapidly. I knew at once what had happened...he had lost his phone. When we reached the top I approached the man and asked him if he wanted me to call it for him on the chance that someone would pick it up and answer. He was grateful for the offer and took me up on it. I called and I got his voicemail. He thanked me sincerely and we departed. He called me later that day to tell me he had found his phone and to thank me again. On Christmas I got a text saying, "Merry Christmas!" It felt good to help and it was really no big deal, but I got the impression that people being kind was not something this guy took for granted. He was genuinely thankful.

A couple of days later we were in the mall again. We (being all of us) were picking up some last minute gifts. When we got home not soon after and Debbi began looking for her cell phone. She couldn't find it. We hunted for a couple of days around the house and I suggested that she might have left it in the mall. I called the phone and guess who picked up? The VERY SAME Man had found Debbi's phone!!! Not really, but that would have been a great story... When Debbi's phone rang I got "hold" music (Hold music is not Debbi's style) I knew immediately what had happened. Someone had found her phone at the mall and made it their own! Debbi called t-mobile and they confirmed numerous unseemly downloads...$50 worth as a matter of fact. We deactivated and luckily Debbi got to keep her number but she lost her entire phone book. Debbi was told we were responsible for the downloads and had to pay for them. When Deb complained they said we should be thankful that it was only $50. They said they regularly see bills for $500 plus on stolen phones.

Now isn't that a curious set of circumstances? One phone story brought strangers together and good feelings prevailed. The other phone story led to cynicism and hurt my wallet.

Is it too much to ask to scroll down a menu and call the number listed as "home"? What causes a person to see opportunities like that as license to take advantage of it and another person as an opportunity to help? Our phone thief got their three days of free phone service and now they have a useless phone.

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism had several great quotes, but one I thought about regarding this situation was...

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”

I pray our felonious friend sees the light and catches a vision for the simple pleasure one can experience when they do the right thing.