I was a pretty busy bee today. I had an advising appointment, had lunch with my brother to celebrate getting my graduation papers in line, and helped him appeal a parking ticket he got over the weekend while staying in Boulder.

When I stopped in the restroom while my brother got his appeals form, I accidentally left my wallet in there. I didn’t realize it until I got home because I usually carry a bag. I called the receptionist and asked whether or not there was a wallet turned in, and she told me she would transfer me to Lost and Found, but I clarified for her that I’d just lost it a few minutes ago in the building so maybe it would be possible for her to check. She said that no, she hadn’t seen a wallet, and that I should try Lost and Found.

I drove up there and went down to the Lost and Found department — which is actually downstairs from the parking services office — and they had my wallet. But it was missing $30! Not that $30 is a huge sum, but I just paid for books and I’m going to be paying tuition late since my loan hasn’t arrived yet. And it really sucks to be buying textbooks and be short on cash, too. The woman at the Lost and Found desk asked me if I wanted to file a police report, and while I probably wouldn’t usually want to do that, I ended up doing it anyhow.

The officer who took the report was very nice. I told him that I’m a NightRide driver, I’m working two jobs to get through this last semester, and I was really kicking myself for leaving my wallet in the restroom. He told me that the person who turned it in is an administrative person of some sort; someone whose name I’ve seen, and she wouldn’t have done it. I thanked him for his help, and he gave me a card with the case number on it.

So, I just tried to think about it as some kind of karma. I’ve probably saved money in some areas. Or maybe I’ve gotten something for a really good price and didn’t deserve to pay so little. All righty.

While I was in class, I got a call from the officer telling me that he has my money. “It’s kind of a long story,” he said, “but I’ll tell you when you come pick it up.”

When I got to the police station to pick up my money, he said that he went and talked to the woman who had turned in the wallet. She remembers there being money in it before she turned in the wallet. So the officer talked to the receptionist, a fellow student, and the girl admitted to taking the money out of my wallet. When asked why she did it, she said, “I needed the money.” The officer replied, “Well, the girl you took it from did, too!”

But… $30? In a police station? Did she think she’s the smartest person there?

I thanked the officer graciously, but I told him I didn’t necessarily feel good about this. Not that I should feel good or anything; if you work in a position of trust like that, even if the trust is to a small degree yet requires some responsibility, to just take money out of someone’s wallet when you’re entrusted with it is just stupid. Especially when the consequences to getting $30 for nothing cost more than $30 in the first place.

Unfortunately, after seeing the paperwork, it looks like she’ll probably lose her job. This will probably be something her future employers see, too. They might not even hire her because of it; you can’t just steal from personal property that is entrusted to you. And those hours she was planning on working to get money she needed? Ah, probably not getting those hours.

Word to the wise…