Thank you to man who rescued my cash (From Surrey Comet)

Thank you to man who rescued my cash

8:39am Thursday 24th March 2011 in Your Say

This afternoon I drew £100 from the Barclays cash dispenser in Victoria Road, Surbiton and walked on 150 yards or so to a shop where I was looking for a birthday card.

Suddenly I found myself addressed from behind by a tall, good-looking man, perhaps in his thirties and perhaps of ethnic minority descent (though totally British).

He asked me if I had just used the cash dispenser up the road, which I confirmed. He then handed me a hundred pounds in cash, saying ‘you forgot this’.

I am 83 and forgetful but I will never forget the thrill of pleasure it gave me to recognise, in this most admirable gentleman, that there are still around here people of incorruptible honesty and, even more important, the kindness to pursue an old man down the road and restore to him a not inconsiderable sum of money that he could so easily, as many would have, just pocketed it.

I thought of offering him a reward, even perhaps the whole sum, by way of thanks for doing something really important to restore my faith in human nature, and that of those who witnessed the episode.

However, I thought he might well be offended by any suggestion that he had acted out of any motivation other than sheer integrity, which is out of the question.

However, I would like him to know that at least I took the trouble to write this, in the hope he may be a Comet or Guardian reader.

I saw three letters on a badge sewn into the lapel of the jacket he was wearing, which may have been EDF, the electricity company who supply me here.

If indeed he works for that company I would very much like them to know that a member of their staff did them a signal honour here in Surbiton today.

MR STRATON-FERRIER
Oakhill

Surbiton