on friday i heard a loud knock at my front door. i was home alone and i am a baby so i didnt open the door. later, after i had checked the peep hole, i opened the door to find a ups post-it that they had come to drop of a package. the package was addressed to the person who lived at this place before me. i put a post-it on top of it telling them to return it to sender.

today, there was another, more faint, knock at the door. again, i opened it much later to find the former tenants package on my step. i noticed that the post-its had blown off of the door and presumed that the ups man had not seen my note. i brought the package inside and opened it out of curiosity. there was another envelope inside of the package with a letter inside. the letter was thanking the former tenant for his contribution [i didnt get the impression that it was monetary] to a hospital [he was a doctor]. along with the letter was a blank american express check for one hundred dollars.

i retrieved the ups post-it and it said that a signature was not required for delivery. my signature is on nothing. the package was simply left on my doorstep, addressed to someone else.

neither my landlord nor i have a fowarding address to the former tenant. what do i do? keep it? blow it on crack? search down the guy? return to sender? give it to charity? am i thinking too hard about this?

I would try and track him down, it's really not that hard nowadays, especially since he's a doctor. I assume they're easy to find. You'll feel good about yourself if you do.

I'm not an ethicist. OK, I'm not even an ethical person. But I think you should return it. First, you should make some sort of attempt to find the doctor. This could be possible since he's in a relatively high-profile profession. If you can't, simply return the check to the sender with a note explaining the situation.

You'll sleep much better with a clean concious.

I would return it to the sender's address, along with a note explaining that you have tried (unsuccessfully) to track down the former tenant. The sender's address should be on the package.

Since you have now opened it, you cannot "return to sender" without paying the shipping costs. That is, unless you can make it look as though you never tampered with it. That shouldn't be hard to do. Call UPS, tell them that you have not opened it, and that you would like to return it to sender since the former tenant no longer lives at your address. 1-800-PICK-UPS

This is all pending your decision to keep it or return it.

If you do decide to blow it on crack, please invite me.

(Edited by richarddawson at 4:33 pm on Apr. 5, 2004)

I once tried returning a package sent to the wrong address (twice). When it came back the second time, I got frustrated and just opened it. It was actually a christmas present for a toddler (clothing and a teddy bear). I felt bad, but I also felt that I had tried everything, as the name on the package was not found in the yellow pages and the address was nonexistent.

As for the clothes, we used them to dress up a Goldberg doll we had won previously at Jillians.

If it's a normal check, you should just destroy it and contact the sender by phone or email. Is it more like a money order or travelers check? Or is this a really lame joke?

I agree. Usually those checks are reimbursements for some kind of collaboration. For example, my office gets them if we use a new form to process our Medicaid patients, because the new form helps the HMO running that part of Medicaid, or something. So, the guy did some kind of work for it & deserves the reimbursement.

I just had a thought, too....maybe this doctor will be pleased with your kindness and let you keep some money? It happens in cartoons all the time!

that was my first thought.

so, am i getting this right? no one would consider just cashing the check? or are those who would just too ashamed to post about it?

i would want to cash it. i'd stick with that plan until i was actually in the line at the bank to do so. then guilt would overcome me. then, if i'd already tried searching for this guy, i'd go with the charity thing. if he's a doctor, chances are he's not hurting for $100, and the charity thing benefits all parties involved.

I definitely wouldn't cash it. I agree with the majority; try to track him down.

just to be the ass, i'm gonna go with cash it

i found the guys address. but im having a really tough time. a hundred dollars would make for a great weekend. take my boyfriend to mitch hedberg, get my friends and i krunk-ass-drunk, maybe some more shoes [even though i bought two pair last weekend without an extra franklin]- the options are very nice. its easy to think about giving it back until you consider all the things you can do with it.
also, i would like to add that i have lived at this place for a year now. shouldnt this guy have updated his address with this hospital if he actually cared about it?
to answer carls questions, its the type of check that companies often give out to employees that are made out to no one and are virtually untracable. plus, theres a lot of liability in not requiring a signature upon delivery of the envelope.

(Edited by stopforme at 11:18 pm on Apr. 5, 2004)

see, i am like the bad voice in her head.

It's really tempting, and I'd think about keeping it, but I know I wouldn't. I'd feel too guilty. Keep us updated.....

I'd cash it. Charities get donations all the time, but how many people donate to your cause? Of course, I'd try to track the sender/recipient down first, but if there's no success, there's no use agonizing over it.

well i did find him

The sender or the receiver?

If you'll sell your morality for $100, please come over tonight. Wear something nice. I've got cash.

receiver, fmr tenant

okay

Dude, you totally could have started the bidding much lower. Trust me.

yeah, if you were interested in carls wart dick

i sent the check to the owner [former tenant] on monday. thought you guys might like to know. ill also let you know if i get a response