Have you ever lost anything and had someone contact you letting you know they found your lost item?
Have you ever found an item (cell phone, wallet, etc.) that wasn't yours but tried to contact the rightful owner?
I've done the first thing countless times (I work at Alden and a bar - lost cell phones are a weekly occurrence), and if I cannot get a hold of the person, at the very least I'll turn the item into the police station. However, I'm probably going to stop.
Sunday, I lost my wallet uptown on my way to work. I figured it would turn up by now, but I've gotten no e-mails, phone calls, nothing at all. The wallet was brown with a Notre Dame logo on the outside and contained money, ID's, photos of family members, and other things (gift cards, business cards - the usual everyday items). Chances are if someone found it, they probably looked to see how much money was in it and took that first, then moved on to the ID to see if they or a friend of theirs could use it as a fake.
After taking the money, ID, and maybe the gift cards (or a vendacard for the library, in case it was a studious individual), what more does my wallet mean to you? Why wouldn't you turn it in (if it was in a bar, turn it into the bartenders; on the street, take it to the police station) and give me the chance of getting some of my things back? Replacing all that stuff is a hassle but it can be done, but getting back the pictures of my family or the business cards of friends/people I rarely see cannot.
I hope someone found it and still has it with the intention of getting a hold of me and returning it because that's what I would do. That's what a lot of people say they would do ... But would you?
I always feel like I'm doing a good thing when I call someone or e-mail them and tell them I've found their lost property. Who knows, maybe the person who found my wallet will lose something one day and have someone contact them. If that does happen, I hope they remember what they did to my stuff.
Mark Skirtich is a senior studying sports management.
4 Opinion
