Honesty and crisis

On Feb. 14, 1998, at about noon, I was driving southward on Jl. Fatmawati when someone on a motorbike told me that the rear left tire was deflated. I was aware of what this motorcyclist would gain from this modus operandi. Yet I was not quite prepared for the move.

Because of heavy traffic, I decided to go into the parking lot of the Setia Mitra hospital, and I asked the parking attendant to help me change the tire.

While the tire was being changed, I locked all the car's doors leaving my bag -- containing car documents, my driver's license, ID, ATM card, jewelry, check book etc. -- on the front seat. And I was standing about one meter away from the front door.

After the tire was changed, to my shock, I found my bag was gone. My reaction to this was that I imagined I would not get my bag back. So, I started to make arrangements to obtain new documents and identity card.

On Feb. 24, 1998, I got a telephone call from Mr. Wicaksono, an employee of a cleaning service on Jl. Kemang Selatan, telling me that he had found a bag with the documents in the garbage. I rushed to meet the man and collect my lost bag. The money and the jewelry had gone, but all the documents were left intact.

I highly appreciate Mr. Wicaksono's honesty, which had been displayed despite the prevalent monetary crisis. I pray that Mr. Wicaksono's life will be fully blessed.

MRS. S.K. ALIM

Jakarta