Accountablity

Today I had a lunch meeting.  A co-worker and I went to Applebee's and had a long talk about a lot of different things.  After being served our food the waiter brought us our bill and send they would take care of it whenever we where ready. 

A short time later an acquaintance of mine came into the restaurant and sat at the table next to us.

We continued to talk for quite a while and as we started to run out of time the two of us gathered our things and left the restaurant. 

When I returned to my desk I decided it was a good time to file my expense reports.  As I gather up the receipts from the last month's worth of expenses I noticed that I was missing a receipt.  Then it occurred to me.  I had just left Applebee's without paying the bill.  I had just skipped out on the bill.  Dined and dashed!!

I was at a crossroads.  Two of our core values coming in conflict with each other.

On one hand I could follow the honest path and "treat others how I wanted to be treated," go back to Applebee's and pay the bill.  That would be honest.  I had eaten the food and owed the money.

On the other hand I could select another of our core values and choose to be "Thrifty."  After all I had already left the restaurant and nobody was going to come after me and try to get my money. 

"Treating others the way I wanted to be treated" or "Thrifty." 

After having a very good laugh (at my expense) with my co-workers I drove back to Applebee's to pay the bill.  It really wasn't that hard of the decision.  I although I let the thought "well thrifty is a core value and not paying the bill would be thrifty," I do know right from wrong and I knew I had to do the right thing.

When I got to Applebee's on my return trip the place was still packed, so I had to wait for somebody to come to the hostess station so I could settle up.  While I waited I noticed my friend was still sitting at his table.

He motioned me over to his table and asked if I had forgotten to pay my bill.  (As he sat there reading his Bible!)  I confused that was my reason for returning to the restaurant and he relied to me that when the wait staff went to clear the table they noticed that neither my table mate or I had paid our bill.  My friend said that he informed the Applebee's staff that it was out of character for me to not pay my debts.  He told that I would in fact be paying the bill  at some point (when I remembered that I had forgotten).

I considered it high praise that my friend had that much confidence in my character.  I would have gone back to pay me bill regardless of the fact that an acquaintance had seen me at Applebee's but if he hadn't been their I would never have received the compliment he paid me nor would I have been convicted that people notice your character even when you don't expect it.

(I left the names blank because I don't want you to judge my co-worker because he also skipped out the bill.  The acquaintance/friend and I work at the scorers table for high school basketball games together.  So our interaction is limited to breaks in the action but during those brief moments of time during the last basketball season I left him with a standard of how I conduct my life and to be honest I would expect the same thing of Herb Schrader.)