I drove 140 kph inside Metro Manila

By Roque M. Sorioso, Jr

I just got back from watching the last full show of the Fantastic Four movie at Trinoma. Normally I wouldn't write reviews but this time I lost my wallet in the theatre and only found out about it after I got home.

When you lose your wallet a zillion things are going through your head: "How much money am I losing?" "How fast can I deactivate my credit cards?" "Can they access my ATM account?" "How long until I can get a new driver's license?" and "How can I replace my Korean condom collection?"-all that calculation took place while grabbing the keys and getting the car out of the driveway.

Meanwhile, my head was full of self recrimination while hurtling at 140kph along the highway, praying that my problem was not compounded by a road mishap.

My calculus was done, the cost of an expensive, life-taking accident times the probability of it occuring was significantly less than the loss of my wallet with its unused credit cards and the pain of reconstituting its contents.

I thought, as I parked the car and dashed up the theater area, the threat of monetary loss coupled with an adrenaline rush is worse than recklessness from drunkenness. Especially since you do so with full cognizance of mental faculty. Basically, you've gone nuts and you know it.

The security and staff were kind enough not to delay me and even radioed ahead to inform other staff and service crews on the way to open closed doors for me.

I was breathing heavily when I reached the now closed theater. A security guard eyed me up and asked me what I lost. He then directed me to their lost and found department where a supervisor calmly asked me for the color of my wallet (tan), how much was in it (around 6K) and can I please state my name (you bet). After that he gave me back my wallet (count your money please).

The experience was like being on fire for several minutes, anticipating anger, remorse and the self reproach that was to come. What do you really expect to happen when someone finds a wallet with money in it?! And then suddenly someone pours cold water over you.

The human being who found my wallet was Jojo, a security guard. After finding my wallet under the seat, he deposited it in the lost and found department and filled up a form listing all the things he found in wallet. They said it was part of the Ayala system of service. And he said it was his job and he was glad I got my wallet back and that I owed him nothing. He also said it was policy for

visitors not to pay them anything for finding lost items (my hand was trying to put a thousand peso bill into his hand).

Selfish bastard that I am, I was happy I was getting back my wallet and not spend anything more than the gas I used to return to the theater.

However, people like these are hard to come by and good deeds must always be rewarded. If we cannot punish evil politicians, bad actors, stunt bus drivers and greedy plastic surgeons we must, at the very least, reinforce positive behavior so that in the future some poor bastard like me can still hope to get his wallet back.

And so I told Jojo to consider my gift the equivalent of having a drink with me. I stayed and cajoled his supervisor into telling him to take the reward, which he finally did but only after a long while (I think he took it out of embarassment; people were gathering).

And so because of the heroism of Jojo the security guard, I have reclaimed my wallet (with its rare assortment of Korean condoms), my respect for the Filipino and even my hope for the country. And he was just one man who did one good deed. People like that change the world.