The best measure of a man's honesty isn't his income tax return. It's the zero adjust
on his bathroom scale.
Arthur C. Clarke
After deciding to serve my guests roasted pork loin for Easter dinner, the next task was to see if it was on sale at any of the local grocery stores. Fortunately, I found it for $2.29 per pound if I used my grocery store club card (I often find it for $1.99, but beggars can't be choosers).
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This particular chain also allows you to log into your "account" and based on your purchase history, offers unique, special deals to their customers. Again, fortunately, they were offering an additional .10 off so I could buy my pork loin for $2.19 per pound. (I'm not sure how I feel about Big Brother knowing we like to eat pork loin.)
I bought my pork loin and other groceries, and at the checkout the cashier looked at my receipt and said, "You saved a lot." I agreed that I had found some great bargains. When I got home and finished putting away the groceries, I looked over my receipt and noticed that I was charged $2.19 for the entire six-pound loin. At the checkout both the sale price for the pork and my special offer discount were applied. So for a $31 pork loin I only paid $2.19.
Wow! My lucky day! Then my conscience woke up and said, "Wait a minute, you're not being very honest." I put the receipt aside for a couple of days then showed it to my husband. He said, "You'll have to go back and tell them you were undercharged." Sigh. He was right. What kind of a Christian am I?
Back I went with my receipt and explained to the man at the service desk that I was undercharged and owed the store money. He looked at the receipt and said no, I was charged correctly. I emphasized that I shouldn't have had both discounts applied to the roast, but he insisted that was how their system rang in up and it would be corrected eventually, but the roast was mine for $2.19. I insisted I wasn't entitled to that price, but he firmly said that the receipt was correct.
I went home, glad I had done the right thing. I had a clear conscience and was happy in the knowledge I had been honest.
But I really regretted that I hadn't thought to go back and buy another one.
Welcome to the Blogging from A-Z April Challenge 2013. I'm aiming for short, entertaining and occasionally insightful posts. Topics addressing transitions are the goal . . . but we'll see.
I can get my husband to do just about anything for me, if I make him a pork roast and garlic potatoes.
ReplyDeleteAnd I've gone back to a store before, because I thought I hadn't paid enough for something. I'd rather have a clear conscience, than feel the guilt of not being entirely honest :)
Honesty is the best policy. In this case, it really worked out great!
ReplyDeleteGood for you for doing the right thing. I had to laugh at your last line. I, too, would have been wishing I'd taken advantage of the amazing offer and bought two.
ReplyDeleteThere really isn't anything better than knowing that you have integrity. You know you did the right thing and that is, as they say, priceless.
ReplyDeleteIt does my heart good to read stuff like this because it restores a modicum of faith in humanity. I'm so tired of seeing and hearing about how people cheat the system (and their fellow beings) and how dishonesty is ok unless you get caught. So a huge THANK YOU for doing the right thing (and sharing it here)! :)
Ah, the temptation... but doing the right thing always makes us feel better in the end.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for the kind comments.
ReplyDelete