Honesty: does it still exist?

My good deed for today was achieved at early o clock this morning en route to work. Ever since I was little, my parents had taught me right from wrong and to hand in anything I ever came across on my travels to the nearest police station/lost n found.

During the mornings like most people I am in a bit of a daze but I'm normally corpus mentus by the time I arrive at my workplace having stumbled 2 miles from my home. This morning though I was a bit more on the ball, as I passed bench and bus stop in front of the local copshop I noticed a gorgeous black leather handbag just sitting there, all alone.

I feel ashamed to say my first thoughts weren't entirely of the honest variety, I did contemplate for about half a minute that it might be worth my while sneaking a peek into the bag or indeed running off with it (actually I don't do running so perhaps a medium to fast pace instead) seeing that there was no-one present. But in the advent of my conscience and actually how did I know I hadn't been seen?? Never has there been more evidence of 1984 coming true: Orwell was psychic.

1 full minute later brain went into paranoid mode, could there be a bomb inside or indeed some other dangerous body debilitating device? After all we now live in a society where there are no guarantees of safety: everyone's a suspect. Worried that my overactive, and rather morbid imagination was running away with me and more importantly, I was getting late for work I gingerly reached for the handle and half jogged/half hopped into the police station reception and buzzed impatiently to be seen.

Having been quizzed about everything under the sun from how I came across the bag to my DOB and phone number I returned on my way to work with a bit of a weight off my shoulders and a strange feeling inside: indigestion? Nope, a clear conscience!!

And as I sat at my desk nursing the 2nd coffee of the morning, I realised I had achieved what my parents aimed to teach me: moral values aka an honest citizen. 11am the same morning I had a phone call from a very relieved lost handbag owner thanking me profusely, do I feel good now? You bet I do, karma's a great thing now I just need it to win me tonight's lottery...