What is the price of integrity?

By Stephen C. Schultz

I got home from work the other evening and my wife was on the phone with the local Pizza place.

She asked me if I would go pick up the pizza. So, I got back in the car and off I went to get the pizza. I walked in the door of the pizza place and there was a line of ten or so people. Some were ordering and others were simply there to pick up their pizza like me.

The young lady behind the register was very pleasant and spoke in broken English. It was apparent that she struggled to make change, even with the register doing most of the work.

I stepped to the counter when it was my turn and gave her my name. She turned and grabbed the pizza, looked at the receipt, and told me the total with tax. I had already figured that I was to receive $2.38 in change. When she handed me my change, I folded the two bills in half and slipped the coins in my pocket. I headed out the door and towards my car. I was juggling the pizza boxes and the dollar bills as I leaned down to open the car door. I put the pizza on the front seat, stood up, and glanced at the bills as I went to put them in my pocket. The bill on top was a $5.00 bill!

The line inside was just as long as before.

I know what I did...I'm interested to know what you would do! Please share!

Comments

Beau Hodson said…

Walk right back to the cashier and hand her the $5 back, getting the $1. Make sure the people in line can hear your explanation. Not only does it get them thinking about integrity by witnessing a good deed but it would also negate their potential to complain when you walk right up to the front. Regarding whether one should wait in line again or not, there is no reason to do, you already waited in line once and it was their mistake. You have no duty to wait in line again.

March 14, 2011 at 9:47 PM

The Young Boy and the Rattlesnake

By Stephen C. Schultz (Editors note: This is a story used in a Wilderness Treatment Program. Many come to this program having struggled with depression, anxiety and substance use.) Many years ago there was a young Native American who lived in the very land you are residing in. He decided to seek wisdom by journeying to the top of Indian Peak. As he approached the base of the mountain he came across a rattlesnake that slithered beside him. The snake coiled as if to strike and the young boy moved back quickly in fear of being struck by the snake’s deadly venom. At that instant the snake spoke to the boy saying, “Don’t be afraid of me, I mean you no harm. I come to you to ask a favor. I see that you are about to traverse to the top of Indian Peak and was hoping that you may be willing to place me in your satchel so that I don’t have to make the long journey alone.” The young boy surprised by the snake’s request quickly responded by turning down the offer, stating, ...

Perfectly Wicked - A new take on an old fairy tale!

Guest Blogger Amanda Schultz Age 15 There she was…hair as black as night, lips as red as blood, skin as white as snow. Standing by the window, washing dishes, whistling while she worked. Snow White. I shudder with disgust every time I hear her name. What kind of a name is that anyway? “Snow White”. Gahhh, it’s a name that practically begs to be made fun of. Yet, there she goes, frolicking around like she owns the Enchanted Forest. No. I’m the Queen. I’m in charge. My magic mirror was mistaken. I’m the Fairest of them all, not that sorry excuse for a princess. One bite from my poison apple and that air-head will be so ugly not even her mother could love her. And I will be the Fairest once again! I suppose that I should rewind a little bit. It wasn’t always a competition between Snow White and me. In fact, back in the day, we had a nice little system going on. I would rule the kingdom and practice my magic, while Snow did the dishes and tended the garden. She stayed out of my w...

An Open Letter to Parents Researching RedCliff Ascent

By Stephen C. Schultz "We will forever be known by the tracks we leave." Having been raised in Oregon, I spent the majority of my free time during my childhood and teenage years steelhead fishing the coastal waters, climbing the Middle Sister in the Cascade Mountain Range, drifting the McKenzie River, and hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. I have mentioned to friends, family, and colleagues on many occasions: “From a therapeutic standpoint, there is no better place to have a student’s issues manifested quickly than in a wilderness setting.” The question then becomes, “Why do therapeutic issues rise to the surface in an Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare program like RedCliff Ascent ?” Throughout the years of teenage development, most teens spend a lot of time with friends. These friends think the same, dress the same, act the same, listen to the same music, and sometimes get into the same types of trouble. Some teens also develop patterns of communication and manipulation whi...

The Interpreted Rock

Search This Blog