People Are Basically Honest

While sitting in a Starbucks getting some work done without interruptions, I was suddenly interrupted. A 30-something man dressed in hospital garb stood in the middle of the bistro demanding everyone’s attention.

“I have an announcement,” he said. “Who wants to see a magic trick?”

He then gathered up quite a few bottles of water and said he would make all the water disappear. Next he passed out the bottles to the many people enjoying their lattes and espressos.

The Starbucks manager walked over to him and said, “You need to pay for those.”

And then in a split second, the man ran out the door. What just happened?

The manager went back behind the counter.

Those of us who were handed a bottle had a collective moment of gathering our thoughts. Each of us then got up and one by one handed our bottles to the lovely, young lady who was brave enough to confront the mad magician.

When I gave her my bottle she asked me, “What was that?”

“He clearly was crazy,” I told her. “You handled it well.”

It was refreshing to be in line with a group of honest people when we hear of so much dishonesty and destruction in our world.

I’ve often been accused of seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. Call me ignorant, but I’ll keep it that way, thank you. Yes there are those dishonest individuals, but with this story as evidence, I like to believe that most people are basically honest.