I couple of weeks ago I was walking through Highgate in N London when I saw a woman standing at a Barclays cash machine (rather strangely, it has to be said, she was leaning forward on the machine with her legs crossed) this reminded me that I too needed some cash. As I arrived at the ATM and was about to put my card in, I saw that she had left her money behind. I took it out and quickly zipped up and down the road looking for her - but to no avail.
I then took the money into the Barclays (100 pounds) and handed it in, thinking that she would be straight back once realising her loss. I suppose I could have kept it, but having actually seen the woman and also wanting to maintain my good karma I did the right thing.
A week later I rang the bank to ask if it had been collected. No, the manager told me, and it seems that they were not about to make any effort to find her, even though they had her card details. It seems it is up to her to claim it back.
I felt a bit miffed that I had taken the trouble to return the money but Barclays couldn't be bothered to do their bit.
Next day I was in Sainsburys supermarket at a self check-out till. The electronic voice wouldn't let me start but kept telling me to take my change. What do you know? The previous customer had left a fiver in the slot.
********Update************
The local newspaper The Hampstead & Highgate Express printed this piece, almost word for word :-)
