You find a wallet in the subway

[Dreadnaught]

Imagine you are in a subway station with a huge rainstorm pounding outside. You look at a bench and see a wallet, which you pick up and open. Inside is a photo ID for a lawyer, which lawyers use to expedite entry into court houses. No one around looks like the guy. There are also some credit cards and a transit card, but no cash.

Knowing those courthouse IDs are crucial for lawyers, you bypass the transit system lost-and-found and work the Google.com to find the guy the next morning. You contact the relieved lawyer, who comes to pick up his wallet (you haven't taken anything from it).

The man who picks up the wallet is clearly very prosperous. Guys don't often wear custom all-white suits unless they have money for other, normal suits. He says he is a criminal attorney.

As he thanks you, he reaches into his pocket and offers you a cash reward. Do you accept?

[littlelolligagged]

no

You also don't accept a reward for finding a lost pet.

[wiggin]

I don't think there's anything wrong with accepting said reward (you did way more than just return the wallet; you took time and effort to quickly get it to him), assuming it's a modest 'thank you'. On the other hand, I'd probably insist on refusing a reward personally. For reasons I won't go into, I take great pains to not appear 'cheap', money-grubbing, or even remotely dishonest, and I like people to walk away from casual encounters with me with not just a good impression but a very positive one. (It's even better to be scrupulously honest, but I guess I'll stick with appearances for now, eh?)

[Ominous Gamer]

wallets I find never have cash in them but I see no problem with accepting the reward, but it is polite to be coy about it. Everyone has their motions to go through.

[CitizenCain]

Should I just check back later when you reveal the real question, or spring the "gotcha?" I have a hard time accepting that you're actually asking if it's OK to accept a reward for returning someone's mislaid property to them, intact.

Of course it's OK. But the more profitable (and more interesting!) option is to keep (or sell) the property in question for a value exceeding what you'd expect to receive in reward money. Doesn't work so well with lost pets (this is for you, loli), though if you're that hard up for cash, you can always threaten to ship the pet back to its owner in installments unless you get a ransom... though the authorities take a very dim view of this creative fund-raising method. and they generally won't fall for the "saving on shipping costs" excuse either... fucking fascists.

[Aimless]

Not without first consulting my lawyer and getting his signature on a written agreement I might consider asking him to give it to some organisation or cause that I support, because, let's face it, I've already gotten my reward by depriving the lost-and-found people of the chance to help out an unfortunate lawyer. It's almost like a story from the Bible, only more dodgy. I might want to consult a moral philosopher and a sociologist as well.

Clever lawyer, not keeping his cash in his wallet. The white suit I don't understand at all. Mob lawyer?? I've never seen anyone in a white suit except Michael Jackson and some dude in a Bollywood movie. It smells fishy. I'm a good guy but also a suspicious one I ain't touching that money. Gonna go take a shower.

[RandBlade]

Yes.

Do I hand it in, yes. Do I expect a reward, no. Do I keep any cash in it, no. Bit if I did a good deed and he offers a token reward to thank me/pay for my time etc in doing the good deed, then yes I would. I would not if it was an elderly person etc though.

I lost my phone while at uni in a club. Some girls found it, called "Home" on it (actually my parents then) and through that I was able to meet up with them and collect it. I gave them £10 as a Thank You.

I'd view it the same as saying Do you accept a Tip? Don't expect one, but accept it if offered.

Edit: Minx I rarely keep cash in mine either. Why bother if you pay for everything on plastic.

[Aimless]

"... but one day I may need a favour..."

[RandBlade]

If I lose my wallet and a Good Samaritan were to hunt me down, bring it to me intact - then that alone is a favour. If I can thank them with a tip/reward for doing so then its nice to reward good behaviour. Too often bad behaviour gets rewarded (See:Cain).

[Aimless]

No, I mean the person returning the wallet may need a favour.

[CitizenCain]

Too often bad behaviour gets rewarded (See:Cain).

Ms. McKenzie?!?!?! I thought the last time we crossed paths I was 8. And here we've been, conversing over the net all this time. Wow, what a small world.

[RandBlade]

No, I mean the person returning the wallet may need a favour.

Indeed, and that is what I meant. As the person returning the wallet, I'd rather people return wallets - and if offered sometimes get rewards for it.

[termite]

Never take money (even if its a reward) from someone dressed like Boss Hogg - no good can come from it, especially if he is a lawyer!

[Dreadnaught]

No trick question, just curious.

The guy offered me a bunch of cash. I honestly didn't expect it. Though the money would have been nice (especially for gas going into Labor Day weekend), I declined. Just felt funny taking money for something that didn't require a ton of effort on my part and is something I would hope someone would do for me.

So he offered me his card and said to call him if I ever found myself in jail and needed a favor from a criminal defense attorney.

[Flixy]

Not sure. I'd at least decline at first, not sure what I'd do if he insisted.

So he offered me his card and said to call him if I ever found myself in jail and needed a favor from a criminal defense attorney.

That sounds like a good outcome!

[CitizenCain]

Oh, well good deal, then... I thought you were setting up some kind of moral dillema. Definitely take the money (or the favor), since you did the guy a valuble service, even if it was easy for you. I always split off a few bills when someone returns my lost property. That's the foundation of commerce - goods and services having different values to different parties.

'Course, if you were thinking ahead, you might have cloned that ID first, so you could make you a one. But now at least you know for next time... and hey, with a favor from a criminal defense attourney, you don't even need to worry about getting caught with fake ident!!

Oh, which reminds me, that was purely hypothetical. I'd never advocate, encourage or condone the comission of a crime... in a public forum anyway.

[Lor]

I'd decline the offer for cash, even if he insisted. I don't think I've ever taken cash off someone in my adult life. I've always asked for favours back as a suitable return.

No trick question, just curious.

The guy offered me a bunch of cash. I honestly didn't expect it. Though the money would have been nice (especially for gas going into Labor Day weekend), I declined. Just felt funny taking money for something that didn't require a ton of effort on my part and is something I would hope someone would do for me.

So he offered me his card and said to call him if I ever found myself in jail and needed a favor from a criminal defense attorney.

Best possible outcome if you ask me.

[Lebanese Dragon]

If it was a lot I'd be tempted... Here's a 1k for getting this to me.. uhhhh.. are you sure? But under normal circumstances I wouldn't really expect a reward, and it looks like it may have turned out the best for you .

[coinich]

I didn't see any reason not to take the reward, but that was nice of him to offer his card and nice of you to decline the reward.

[Dreadnaught]

If it was $1k I probably would have hesitated more, because clearly this is a guy who wants to throw his money at me. I think it was like $40.

[Hazir]

It would depend mostly on the person offering the money. I think there is a 50/50 chance either way.

[GGT]

No trick question, just curious.

The guy offered me a bunch of cash. I honestly didn't expect it. Though the money would have been nice (especially for gas going into Labor Day weekend), I declined. Just felt funny taking money for something that didn't require a ton of effort on my part and is something I would hope someone would do for me.

So he offered me his card and said to call him if I ever found myself in jail and needed a favor from a criminal defense attorney.

First off, I wouldn't have made it so the guy had to come to me. Google or not. No reason whatsoever he'd have to know who I am or where I live.

I'd have looked for a business card in the wallet, and called the office phone first, to make sure it was really a legitimate number. Then I'd take the wallet to the office building, telling the receptionist it was a "personal matter". If that got me into his office, face-to-face, I'd make sure he looked like his driver's license picture.

I'd probably shoot the shit with him a while. Ask why a guy like him is using the subway in the first place, then how the hell could he lose his wallet like that? I'd hope to get a Diet Coke while we talked (or a scotch on the rocks, like you see in movies )

After that, I'd have accepted cab fare, parking fees, or gas mileage. Typical travel business reimbursements, but nothing more.

[RandBlade]

If it was $1k I probably would have hesitated more, because clearly this is a guy who wants to throw his money at me. I think it was like $40.

I'd be the total opposite. If it was $1k that'd freak me out and I'd turn suspicious as to what strings attached there are. If its like $40 then that's a nice gesture for a nice deed.

[coinich]

I'd be the total opposite. If it was $1k that'd freak me out and I'd turn suspicious as to what strings attached there are. If its like $40 then that's a nice gesture for a nice deed.

I was thinking the exact same thing. I have no problems accepting lunch money or whatever, but something excessive would throw me off.

[Dreadnaught]

First off, I wouldn't have made it so the guy had to come to me. Google or not. No reason whatsoever he'd have to know who I am or where I live.

I'd have looked for a business card in the wallet, and called the office phone first, to make sure it was really a legitimate number. Then I'd take the wallet to the office building, telling the receptionist it was a "personal matter". If that got me into his office, face-to-face, I'd make sure he looked like his driver's license picture.

I'd probably shoot the shit with him a while. Ask why a guy like him is using the subway in the first place, then how the hell could he lose his wallet like that? I'd hope to get a Diet Coke while we talked (or a scotch on the rocks, like you see in movies )

After that, I'd have accepted cab fare, parking fees, or gas mileage. Typical travel business reimbursements, but nothing more.

Why would I go through an extraordinary effort to travel to him just to have him pay for my travel expenses?

He met me on the sidewalk across the street in front of my office building. He looked like the picture in the wallet (which had no business card).

It was very rainy when he lost it (and I found it), so he had put the wallet in his raincoat pocket which was either shallow or had a hole in it.

[GGT]

You didn't say your meeting point was across the street from your office building. I just went with the "facts" given in the OP.

Gee, what other things should I have presumed in the OP that weren't spelled out clearly? You knew him by the red carnation in his lapel, and he knew you by your curly ginger hair?

[Dreadnaught]

Whisky Tango Foxtrot with the over-the-top hostility.

Curious what associative things are with you and the color red.

[LittleFuzzy]

It would depend mostly on the person offering the money. I think there is a 50/50 chance either way.

About where I'm at. There's nothing wrong with being given a reward for an unexpected service or favor but depending on the circumstances and my mood it can also suit me to decline and feel altruistic.

[DecoyMilk]

Whisky Tango Foxtrot with the over-the-top hostility.

Curious what associative things are with you and the color red.

She's a bullock