Moral dilemma

Yesterday I was confronted with an ethical test. I'm sorry to say that I failed.

I was on an expedition to the library. I needed a journal article to clarify a couple of physiological indices that I'm using. Happily, the volume I needed was on the shelf, right where it was supposed to be, and the pages I needed had not fallen victim to library vandals (it happens). So my book and I trundled merrily along to the copy room.

Oh, the quandary! The previous person who had used my copier left their copy card in the machine. With nearly $10 still on it! This is something I've done occasionally. Fortunately, each time it's happened, the card hadn't had a chance to wander off by the time I realized my mistake and dashed hastily back to retrieve it. I like to think that this is because I've inscribed it with my name and cartoon animals.

I decided to give the forgetful copier a chance. I mean, I've always had good luck in my airheaded copy card moments. I should pass that luck on to others, right? So I ejected the forgotten card (a sterile one, no name, no animals), replaced it with mine, and copied away. I finished xeroxing my article. Still no breathless copier, anxious to retrieve their card. Hmmm. I loitered in the copy room for a couple minutes. I read the titles of the tomes to be reshelved. Some journals were present that I also have occasion to use. That makes it more difficult. It makes me feel that the copy card space cadet may share a kindred nature with me. If it had been chemistry books, or medical journals, I might not have minded taking the card so much. Alas.

But still the owner did not return. I didn't want to leave the card there. It had $10 on it, and I make a lot of copies! It will definitely come in handy. Plus, if I left it there, surely someone else would stumble upon the windfall, and take it themselves. The original owner would almost surely not regain their copy card, especially since they hadn't the foresight to write their name on it.

So I took it. Finders keepers, right? This was no theft. I just hope I haven't destroyed my good copy card karma, and find mine gone the next time I accidently leave it in the machine. I'd better be extra careful to not leave it places now...