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*Featured image contains photo by Julia M Cameron
Imagine finding a bundle of cash, and not just a few crumpled dollars, but a whopping $5,000. What would you do?
Most people might be tempted to keep it, to rationalize that no one would ever know. But there’s a thrift shop manager in the Bay Area who showed the world that kindness, pure and simple, is the path he’d choose.
The day started like any other at the Pick of the Litter in Burlingame, where Oliver Jolis was managing the shop, ringing up sales, and sorting through donated items. But this ordinary day would soon take an extraordinary turn.
What One Manager Found in a Bag of Donation Clothes
As Jolis sifted through bags of donated clothes, money literally started falling out. A coworker, Amy Walsh, described it as, “Money just started falling out.” Imagine their surprise as they witnessed cash fluttering down around them. It wasn’t just a handful of bills; it was a substantial sum, a whopping $5,000 in cold, hard cash.
Naturally, they were taken aback. It would have been easy to succumb to the temptation, to pocket the money and keep it a secret. But Oliver Jolis, showing the true essence of kindness and honesty, decided on a different course of action.
Amidst the unexpected windfall, he discovered an old piece of paper within the bag, an old piece of car insurance information. Instead of keeping the money, Oliver and his coworkers made a remarkable decision. They embarked on a quest to find the owner of this cash, this small fortune that had inexplicably landed in their thrift store.
Their journey to locate the owner was not in vain. With determination, they reached out to the woman who had donated items to the store. To ensure her identity, they asked her a series of questions. She answered them all correctly, confirming her as the rightful owner.
The woman requested to remain anonymous, citing concerns for her safety and the fear of being targeted. She understood that in many situations, someone could have easily kept the money. It could have quietly slipped into the manager’s pocket, and no one would have been the wiser. Yet, Oliver Jolis made a choice that would reaffirm one’s faith in the inherent goodness of people.
“I said, ‘Come on down, I’ve got something for you.’ She came back, and I gave her $5,000 in a paper bag and said, ‘Thank you for supporting us,’” Oliver recalled. It was a simple act, yet it spoke volumes about his character.
How One Man Proved the Importance of Integrity
At Pick of the Litter, Oliver Jolis has quickly become a familiar face. The thrift shop’s profits contribute to the Peninsula Humane Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding homes for thousands of animals, many of whom arrive sick or injured. Oliver, himself, adopted his furry companions, Summer and Alzie.
Regular customers have become friends, and the spirit of kindness and honesty reverberates through the store. San Mateo resident Trina Pierce expressed, “I wasn’t surprised he found it and gave it back. We just love Oliver. The whole staff is great, but Oliver is special.”
That spirit of kindness infuses every corner of Pick of the Litter, enhancing not only their sales and revenue but also ensuring that countless animals find loving homes.
In the anonymous woman’s words, “Whatever you do in this world comes back to you ten times, be it negativity or positivity, it comes back.” And it’s evident that in this tale of kindness, positivity reverberated and touched the hearts of those who witnessed it.
Oliver’s furry friends, Summer and Alzie, serve as a testament to the enduring bonds of friendship and kindness. It’s a reminder that a small act of goodness can create ripples of positivity in the world. Oliver’s decision was not only honorable but a lesson for all of us. Kindness doesn’t demand recognition or reward; it thrives in the selfless act itself.
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