Mana from Heaven
At a time in my life when there wasn't really enough money to go round, my partner and I managed to scrape together enough money to go on a holiday - the first time we'd managed if for several years. Popping down to the travel agents we discovered, to our joy, that if we took every bargain basement option available to us we could just - just - afford to to the golden triangle of Italy: Venice, Florence and Rome, something we'd always wanted to do.

We were overjoyed, but there was a small problem. There was very little money left to actually take as spending money. So we arrived in Venice with very little cash and had to ration it very carefully. Once we'd spent on various entrance fees we couldn't afford to eat out, even cheaply, so we were buying basic foods in supermarkets and scoffing them in the hotel every night.

Still, the sights were so fantastic we didn't care all that much. Venice passed and we went on to Florence. And on the second day in Florence we were sitting, with hundreds of other tourists on the steps of Florence cathedral, enjoying the sun when my partner suddenly gripped my arm.

"What's that?" she asked. And, as carefully and unobtrusively as she could manage, she pointed.

What's she's spotted was a dropped money clip. A clip stuffed full with a big, fat, wad of cash.

We argued briefly about who, if anyone, should go pick it up. Eventually I agreed and again, as unobtrusively as possible, I went and picked it up.

We counted it. It was in Lira, obviously, but it came to about £200. A lot of money. For us, then, a small fortune.

We debated on what to do with it. At first I was all up for handing it in to the police. But the police in Italy are all corrupt, aren't they? But we should still do it ... but then again it's in a clip with no identifying features. Anyone could pick it up and claim it, either from the steps or from a police station.

And slowly, gradually, we convinced ourselves to keep it.

And then we went out to an expensive restaurant and then got horribly, horribly drunk. And did the same the next night and every holiday night thereafter. And we still had some change left when we got home.

Best holiday ever!
(MattDP (Squiggle), Thu 6 Nov 2008, 13:12, 4 replies)

Mm
I'd not feel too comfortable just taking the money, but I guess the chances of it actually getting back to the person who owned it if it was handed in were slim to nil.
So, may as well enjoy it!
(Sundayturkey has the biggest mug of tea, Thu 6 Nov 2008, 14:11, closed)

Fab.
I would have done the same.
It's so cool how things ALWAYS work out for the best somehow!
(leglesss let that be a lesson to you, Thu 6 Nov 2008, 15:41, closed)

sounds great..
i just wish i could do it..

id try and do the same, but id have a nagging voice in my head.. lol.

i suppose if you can make yourself think it was money from a bad/corrupt person and its karma, then it would be ok!
(Inflatable Aardvark, Thu 6 Nov 2008, 18:06, closed)

that
has to be a karma thing.

Obviously, you have been nice to kittens your whole life..
( pregnantfridge, Fri 7 Nov 2008, 13:30, closed)