$50,000

Author's Note: This is a false story about a girl that found money and her and her family have to figure out what to do with it.


One day I was walking in Sam's Club and sit down in a very comfy to find an envelope. Tucked way back in the cushion of the chair clearly placed there with a lot of thought. I grab the envelope very carefully unsure with what was in it. I felt it with great cautiousness, it was soft. I put my finger in the flap on the back of the envelope. I slide my finger, ripping the paper. I open up the envelope and flip open the flap, to see a whole lot of green. I flip my fingers through all the money. It has to be thousands. I have no clue what to do, I am breathing really heavy now. I am starting to hyperventilate, not knowing what to do at all. I am shaking and dizzy. I take a seat in the chair where I found my money. I don't know what to do at all!! I sit and think, even though I have found this money and no one left a note or anything to tell me whose it is why can't I keep it?

I walk over to my mom and dad and they can tell I'm acting weird. They don't ask about anything. I am hesitant to tell my parents about the money. What would they think? We should keep it; I can keep it, or turn it in? I ask to go to the bathroom. I go wash my face and freshen up. I come back feeling better. I stand there staring at the floor; a deep voice behind me says "Are you okay?” The voice was my dad. "I'm fine" I respond. After we leave I'm sitting in the car silent. I have decided to tell my parents about the money. Here goes nothing. "Mom dad, when we were in Sam's Club I found an envelope. I opened it and it has thousands of dollars in it. I didn't know what to do and I was really scared, with what to do."
"Are you kidding, let me see" my mom says with a smile. "Well, finder’s keepers losers weeper" My dad says with a smirk. "What will happen if we keep it" I ask my parents. " " The worst is that people look for it and put papers up looking for it and we will see if there is a reward or not and decide what we are going to do" said my mom said matter a fact like. "Ok fine, I am willing to split it with you guys." I was hoping you were going to say that “Says my mom. The whole ride home we talked about what we were going to do with the money. We counted the money and it came out to be $50,000 in total. But all I could think about was what is going to happen if we get caught.

The next day I get home from school and my parents are at work. I sit on the couch and turn on the television. I see the news, "Breaking News, A local woman loses her $50,000 pay check and it was all in cash. She is offering a reward. She is hoping someone found her money and is a honest enough person to believe her. She is not going to share the reward until the person hands in her money. If you know anything about this case please call the number on your screen" I write down the number on my hand with a pen. My heart just about dropped to my feet. I am blown away that this woman has gone to the extent of going to the news for help. I don't know what to do; I picked up my cell phone and called my dad. I told him about the breaking news. He sounded devastated but also a little relieved. When my parents get home, we sat down and talked about what to do. My mom was way wrong with the whole worst case scenario thing. We decide to see what happens in three days and see how bad it gets.

People know that there is $50,000 out there, somewhere, one way or another. You can tell when ever you go anywhere people are looking through books and on the floor and through garbage's trying to find this money. My family and I keep calm. We try not to get noticed much. We are just going with the flow. But two days go by and we start getting noticed and everything starts blowing up in our face. People start asking us about the money and if we heard about it. We have to lie, even to our closest friends. It was getting harder and harder. My parents start fighting about what to do. They have never fought before; well they have just not very much. This money is ruining our family life. I decided to find this woman who lost the money. I have the number of the news but I don't want to call the news about it. I look up the woman's name and phone number. I tell my parents I am going to call her. The agreed and I called the woman. Her name was Shirley Charleston. We talked and I told her the whole story. She understood why I didn’t give it back right away but she was very thankful that I called.

In conclusion Shirley Charleston was so very happy to have found her money. She was depositing it into her bank and she dropped it in Sam’s Club. Shirley was a really nice woman and my family is back to normal. This whole experience taught me to always be honest and turn in anything you find. It sure was an epoch in my life and I am glad it happened. Shirley gave me and my family $1,000 as the reward. I made a new friend out of this experience and I am very happy how it turned out. Now I have a great story to tell and a great lesson to teach. Always think before you act or take.