A couple of Saturday's ago I walked into my local bank to withdraw some money. A couple of hundred would do just fine I thought. The branch was closed on Saturday, but the bank machines were operating of course.

I walked toward the ATM machine and stood facing the screen. I was about to put my card into the required slot to make a transaction and then I noticed the screen.. The printed words on the screen posed the question to me.

" would you like another transaction? "

I did not think much about it. I knew I wanted to do it. I felt the excitement building up inside of me. The machine was asking me if I wanted some free money. And, it was going to let me use someone elses card to do it. Someone elses card that was inside that machine, which was still active and tempting me to take out some money.

I felt nervousness as well as excitement. This must be what a shoplifter feels like when he knows there is no one around and it is time to go for it. I went for it all right. I said "yes" to the machine. And, then the machine asked me:

" what would you like to do? "

I quickly entered " withdraw "

" from which account? " the machine shot back

I chose chequing.

" how much would you like to withdraw? " the machine snapped back

I selected 200 hundred dollars since that is the amount I wanted to take out anyway.

Now you can imagine the adrenalin pumping away inside of me as all of this was happening. I started to look fearfully into the screen though. I was sure there was someone watching me do this act that I was doing. Gettting away with murder or so it seemed. I knew it was wrong what I was doing. Taking advantage of some poor soul's bank account like this. But, then maybe this was just God's way of rewarding me for something that I had done. I couldn't think of any good deeds off hand in such a short notice...

The machine spit out the 200 hundred dollars into the slot below. Just like a slot machine would. I had won. I had won the jackpot.

" Would you like another transaction? " the machine beckoned me.

I pressed "no" and I quickly grabbed the wad of twenties and the card that was in the slot and fled quickly, looking around feverishly to see if I was being followed. They would be coming after me anytime. I was a thief. They would track me down. I knew they would.

And then.....
what do you think I did next?

called the bank and told them of the malfunction?

hmmm, did what you were going to do anyway, then on Monday called the bank and reported it and took the receipt to the bank so they would know which account it came out of. If it had come from the bank and was just broken, then I would have forgotten it.

Actually, it was not a malfunction. Somebody just forgot to take their card. It was a temporary card. But, then maybe it was a malfunction. Why would anyone leave their card active in a machine and just walk away? I never thought of that.

There is no sense in just stringing you guys along. You would just think I was a big tease anyway. I knew I could not keep the money. Besides, I had heard stories where this is a camera monitoring faces during a transaction anyhow. I figured I had better turn in the dough before they came to get me. I did not want to be arrested for stealing a lousy 200 bucks, right?

Also, i felt it was my public duty to turn in the money anyway. I would want the same favour bestowed upon me if I had mistakenly left my card in a bank machine. At certain times there are some people who appear to be acting suspiciously around this particular branch of the bank. They would appreciate, I am sure, an opportunity like the one I have described to you. There are many homeless and needy people living in the area as well. Some of them even sleep in this branch to keep warm in the winter. Many times I have gone into this branch to take out money and people are sleeping in there just to keep warm. One has to be cautious with his money and watch out for his personal safety. What I am saying of course, is that many people would have taken full advantage of the situation here and cleaned out this person's bank account.

Anyhow, I knew there was a branch open in the same area and I drove there. I handed the 200 dollars and the card to a representative of the bank. I explained the situation and they thanked me for turning in the money. I felt good of course and would appreciate someone doing the same thing for me.

It was the right thing to do. Good for you.

My bank once put $30,000 into my account from a $300 deposit I'd made. It stayed in there for 24 hours, and of course the bank found the mistake the next day and quickly corrected it.

I didn't know about it until I got my bank statement.