We're the Only Ones Falsely Credited Enough

An Orange County Court jury will have the final word when it finishes hearing testimony this week in the trial of Heatherine Tomlinson, a county correction officer who's charged with using another person's credit card to buy booze at three stores last year.

The other day, I went to the hardware store. On my way out, a man dressed in painter's overalls called after me and wanted to know if I had lost some money--some bills were on the floor and may have dropped from my pocket. I didn't know how much I had on me and couldn't be sure, and told him so, so he went back in the store to see if he could find whoever it belonged to.

This was just an ordinary, every day interaction between two "ordinary" Citizens, two strangers, both intent on doing the right thing. It was random, it was coincidental, meaning it more likely reflects the rule than the exception--at least where I choose to live. Yet people like us are suspect for not having the proper values and temperament to keep and bear arms by our Stockholm Syndromed countrymen, because we're not "The Only Ones."

I don't know what became of the ownerless bills, but I'd bet good money the honest tradesman didn't go on a booze-buying spree with it.

[Via Declan]