Dear stranger who accidentally dropped a ten pound note at Waterloo tube this morning, I don’t know who you are, because I didn’t see anyone drop it. It was just lying there, by the ticket barrier, and I had no way of knowing who it belonged to. I thought about leaving it, or give it to the person working at the station, or asking if anyone had dropped some money. But I picked it up, and took it with me. Did I think I’d hit the jackpot? No, that’s not who I am. I looked for the people with the buckets collecting for charity, but for once there weren’t anyone around. I didn’t see any homeless people sleeping next to the station either, which is something that hardly ever happens. But I didn’t want to spend your tenner, because it wasn’t my tenner and if I spent it for me, it would feel like stealing. So here’s what I did. I went online and donated £10 to Shelter. I didn’t keep your money, even though I have the actual note itself. But I didn’t make any money today, I’m no better off by finding your tenner. By donating to shelter, maybe someone else would be a bit better off from the money you lost. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you your money back, as I don’t know who you are that wasn’t possible. If I’d asked around, someone else would’ve probably seen their opportunity to say “oh yes it’s mine” and spend it on themselves. This way, even though I did pick up your money, at least it went somewhere good. I’d like to think you’d be cool with that. Regards, the stranger who found your money.

This Space Blank » Blog Archive » It wasn’t mine to keep

demons:

Love me some cassettes.

Back when I was little, about 10 or 11, when I was just starting to really get into music, I used to make mixtapes. Pretty much just for me to listen to on the walkman I “borrowed” from my mum (the great thing about my mum is that she will want the lastest technology, but after about a month forgets about whatever it is she has bought – now I’m old enough, I just tell her there’s no point to buying it since she won’t use it and there’s a lot less abandoned tech in the house).

I’ve not made a mixtape in years, but now I’m itching to do a few. That walkman’s probably still in the house somewhere and probably still works (unlike the various cd players I’ve had over the years), so there’s no reason for me not to. I could stick some of the stuff I’ve got on vinyl on there too.

Mix CDs = nowhere near as good as an old fashioned mixtape.

Of course, now? I have to try and actually buy some cassettes.

And it’s not just my mum, windows are open & there was some kind of cheer across the land. Can only assume the zombies have been defeated