HONESTLY, If You Found a Bag With 70,000 Dollars, How Much of that would you take?

Want the truth? I wouldn't keep a dime - not even a penny.

TRUE STORY: When I was a very young child [about 50 years ago], I got caught stealing - balloons. Dad was called by the pharmacist, “Bill, Sam here. I JUST caught your son stealing.“ Not another word was said. “Sam”, the pharmacist, put down the phone and said to me, “Your father is on his way over here. We’ll see what happens. Now, how about if you empty those pockets?“ Very slowly I took the balloons out of my pockets: ALL 10 packs! Sam didn’t say another word. He just left those balloons on his desk and went about his business. I sat in the chair - SCARED TO DEATH!

It seemed like it took longer than usual for Dad to get to the pharmacy. Dad was in sales and he drove everywhere. Dad walked the 3 blocks to the small corner drug store. Dad and Sam, the pharmacist were very good friends. Dad asked me in an ever-escalating tone, “Did YOU STEAL??? I didn’t even have a chance to answer OR explain. YOU . . . STOLE!?!?!?“ WHACK . . . WHACK, WHACK. . . . He beat my butt in front of Sam. AND ON THE WAY HOME, EVERY PERSON HE SAW, Dad would stop and say, “My son is a thief!!!!!“ AND he would beat my butt in front of total strangers!

After getting home, he whipped me so bad, I couldn’t sit for a few days!

What the hell, I didn’t have the opportunity to explain what was supposed to really happen - so I think I‘ll relate the story to you:

It was a hot summer day. If the word "humidity" was used, it was that, too. No breeze - just that hot sun beating down on my little suburban Philadelphia, PA neighborhood.

My next door neighbor and I were trying to think about things to do. Finally, “Craig“ said: “I GOT IT! How about if we go get some balloons, fill them with water and throw them at old people?”

I quickly answered, “YEAH! That sounds like a great idea! BUT what’re we gonna do about the money to pay for 'em? I ain‘t got no money.”

Craig said, “I have a silver dollar upstairs. I’ll get it. We’ll go around the corner. You’ll put the balloons in your pocket. I’ll put the money on the counter and we’ll have our balloons!” Craig went inside and was back in a few minutes. He showed me the silver dollar - AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I saw it or even heard anything about it.

We walked around the corner and into the drug store. Craig motioned for me to get the balloons. I started stuffing them in my pocket. “Bill”, “the soda jerk” [way back then, that’s what they called guys who made fountain sodas, sundaes and other ice cream treats.] was behind the counter. I THINK he saw me in the overhead, corner mirror. “HEY YOU! WHAT‘RE YA DOIN‘ OVER THERE?” [[[I looked for Craig, but ALL I could see was the back of a yellow shirt and dungarees [“jeans” today] running out the door.

THEN I uttered THE MOST STUPID THING any one my age could EVER say: “Nothin’.”

Bill grabbed my shoulder and walked me to the counter where folks sat when they had ice cream. “SAM!! COME OVER HERE. I JUST CAUGHT THIS KID STEALIN’!!!”

Whatever Sam was doing, he immediately stopped. It seemed like he came running out from behind the pharmacy department. He IMMEDIATELY recognized me. “Ronnie Berue, what are you doing? Are you stealing - from me? Come back here with me!” I was “caught” - an innocent “victim of circumstance”.

It wouldn’t make a damn bit of difference any way, would it? I ALREADY got my butt whipped. I didn’t think I deserved to get that beating, but I sure would have liked to explain the events leading up to my “stealing”.

Dad didn’t say a word to me for a few days. After three or four days with a very sore rear, Dad called me into the living room. He motioned and told me to sit down - and I did. He asked if I learned my lesson. I shook my head and said “Yes, Dad, I did.”

He asked, “Can you tell me what you learned, son?” I replied, “I learned not to steal.” Dad said, “That’s not all you learned. I’m going to tell you what you learned. When you steal, you have to make it worth your while to get caught! IF you’re going to steal, steal BIG! Don’t take a lousy dollar’s worth of balloons - take a million dollars, two million dollars - ten million dollars worth of balloons! BUT don’t get caught for a lousy dollar! The punishment is going to be the same.

Why? Because when you When you steal and get caught, you're telling the world two facts:
1] You're a thief - plain and simple - cut and dried - you're a thief!
2] That is ALL you're worth! THE ONLY thing you’re telling the world is you’re ONLY WORTH THAT MUCH MONEY - to yourself! Did you learn your lesson, son?” “Yes, Dad . . . I did.”

I love you, Dad! Thank you for the very valuable lesson in honesty!

By the way, my Dad is 86 years young. He’s as sharp as ever! AND he works almost every day - not because he has to work, but because he wants to work.

Did you learn anything from my story? So what are you going to do?

Thanks for asking your Q! I enjoyed taking the time to answer it!

VTY,
Ron Berue
Yes, that is my real last name!