While waiting in line to check out at a Goodwill, Shad noticed some money on the ground in front of him. He picked it up an realized it was a larger amount of money than you would expect to pick up at Goodwill. We suspected it belonged to the two men in front of us. Now everyone knows saying, “I just found some money, is it yours?” is not the smartest way to handle this situation. So we waited to see if our suspected money losers noticed the missing money when they paid. The only item they bought was a big suitcase. (Red Flag #1). Surprisingly, the suspected money losers did not notice the missing money when they paid. Maybe it was because they pulled a large wad of cash out to pay. (Red Flag #2) Shad told me to stay in the store and he followed them out. As they were walking to there incredibly, nice customized mustang, (Red Flag #3) Shad asked if they had lost some money. The one man did not know English so his friend interpreted for him. “Yeah, we lost $30,” the interpreter answered back. Shad informed them that wasn’t the amount he found and told them to have a good day.
Shad came back in the store and retrieved me and my son. As we were buckling ourselves into the car I said, “Shad the drug dealers are walking around looking for something. Shad the drug dealers are pointing at our car!” Now before you call me judgmental, look at the red flags! Growing up as a preacher’s kid on the mean streets of my rural Georgia hometown, I learned how to spot these things. Anyway, Shad gets out of the car. In panic, they told Shad, “300!!! we lost 300 dollars!!!” Shad told them that was the right amount and gave it back to them. After thanking him profusely, they gave Shad $40 for his good deed. Shad took the opportunity to witness to them. The one man said in his best English, “You a good Christian man.” Shad then gave them five, a fist bump, and a hug ( I have no idea why he chose the day we meet the drug dealers to become a hugger) and got in the car.
Afterwards, I had an image of what could have happened. I would be sitting in the police office trying to explain why my husband was talking to drug dealers in a Goodwill parking lot. The conversation would go something like this…
Police: “But ma’am if he wasn’t getting drugs, why did he have $300 in his pocket.”
Me: “They dropped it and he was returning it to them.”
Police: “RRRRRRight. Sure, he was ‘returning’ the money!”
Me: “No I promise. We are Christians. Christians do stuff like that!!!”
Fortunately, I did not have to have that conversation. We did not expect Shad’s birthday adventure to have that much adventure, but at least he has a story to tell.
Hilarious!!
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