The Case of a Cellphone Left Behind
@SIMPLYD (90722)
Philippines
September 1, 2015 1:47am CST
Yesterday , while I was eating at a fastfood outlet alone , I noticed a cellphone with a plugged powerbank , at the front table where a sole woman also have just eaten ..
I looked around to call her but she was gone and saw a girl and a boy in their 20’s bringing a tray of what they ordered and went straight to the said table.
I immediately went to the crew and reported it .
Then went back to my table and told the boy that a woman who has just eaten there , left the phone. But he told me that the phone is his and lifted it up and scrolled at it. .
I felt like telling him , "how can it be yours when before you two came, it was there already !". 
But I kept silent , because they might harm me since there’s the two of them .
The crew came to my side and told me , they might be the woman’s companion , but i know they’re not at all !
I felt guilty not picking it up at once when i saw it left behind and surrendered it to the manager of the fastfood chain . 
How can people be so daunting to be dishonest like that !
The man with the two children beside the table kept looking at the boy with a bad look , and the two ladies by the table beside me were looking at each other .
Oh well , at least i tried to do what i can .
But I kept silent , because they might harm me since there’s the two of them .
The crew came to my side and told me , they might be the woman’s companion , but i know they’re not at all !
I felt guilty not picking it up at once when i saw it left behind and surrendered it to the manager of the fastfood chain .
How can people be so daunting to be dishonest like that !
The man with the two children beside the table kept looking at the boy with a bad look , and the two ladies by the table beside me were looking at each other .
Oh well , at least i tried to do what i can . 22 people like this
22 responses
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
1 Sep 15
Yes, they seem like to be afraid to accost them at least . And yes as @hereandthere said they could have reviewed the CCTV at least , because i know they have cctv.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (160806)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Sep 15
I know. People aren't taught like they used to be. You did try to do what you could. That is all you can do. Is your part. It was good of you to do that. One thing that isn't true in families any mrre is multi-generational households. Grams and gramps with their traditions and ethics to pass on to the kids. Something has fallen in the families now days.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (160806)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Sep 15
@SIMPLYD -- People will be held accountable. Karma will will do it. All we can do is report wrong doing. Not reporting it would be a problem with own Karma.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
2 Sep 15
@celticeagle Yes,i strongly believe that too . 
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
1 Sep 15
In my opinion:
The crew could have asked them a couple of questions at least to ascertain if the phone was theirs. But then, it is quite impossible to get into arguments specially when it is a business. They (crew) need to behave in a respectful manner and thankfully the did.
On the part of the boy and girl, they are brats. They have no manners, and sense of responsibility. And these traits are so very commonly found almost everywhere in that age group of today. I wonder if the crew had asked them, quite likely, they would have got into an argument and even a fight maybe.
Lastly, on the part of dear You. You did the right job by informing the crew. Handling the phone was not your responsibility, but informing the crew was.
2 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
1 Sep 15
Thank you for that last paragraph , at least i don't feel guilty now .
And i must admit , the crew might have avoided getting into argument with the brats because they are after all clients . No matter how courteous they may be in conducting the investigation , they might be misunderstood as accusing them outright .
2 people like this
@Carmelanirel2 (8084)
• United States
2 Sep 15
Oh, I think I would have picked up the phone first and then reported it, because people really are dishonest today, not all, but many are.
2 people like this
@Carmelanirel2 (8084)
• United States
4 Sep 15
@SIMPLYD But that is the past, no reason to worry about it. I am glad you wrote this, because I may have done the same thing, but now I know that picking up the phone or wallet or whatever was left, first, then there is a better chance the owner will receive his or her property.
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
3 Sep 15
It is sorry state of affairs that people could be dishonest to this extent. The guy knew it that it was not his phone, even then he claimed it to be his. The guy perhaps did not know that there are mobile trackers installed in the (smart) phones and as soon as the guy would try to replace the SIM card, an SMS will be flashed to the predefined numbers and his location could be seen by the receiver of the SMS. It is not easy to use a stolen phone now a days and the guy may realize it sooner or later.
What you did on your part was correct and it was for the outlet manager to confront the guy or report to police etc.
Me and my friend were roaming around our office during lunch break, we found a phone lying on the path. We picked it up and waited for anyone to call on the phone. A guy called and we informed him that this phone is in our possession and we could be contacted at such and such number and he should immediately inform the owner of the phone, if he has his alternate number. The message reached the original owner and he came to our office and thanked us for handing his phone back to him.
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
3 Sep 15
@SIMPLYD - yes, you are right that the lady who lost his phone, should know how to recover it.
You see besides showing our honesty, we knew how much problem one faces, if one loses his mobile phone. Mobile phone now a days is like a mini computer and it has lots of data stored in it, if someone loses his mobile, he will go very upset.
Many people do not bother to keep a back up of their data stored in their mobile, specially mobile numbers of their near and dear ones and when they lose their mobile phones, only then they realize their mistake.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
3 Sep 15
@dpk262006 I have a listings of my contact numbers at my smartphone in a small notebook stored at home . Besides , i memorized the cellphone number of my husband and our child .
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
3 Sep 15
Yes, he can surely be traced and that cellphone will be recovered . But only if the woman in her 40's i guess knows what to do to have it traced ,
How nice of you and your friend. I wish there will be more honest people like us . 
Anyway , at least i have done my part , though , i was angry deep inside when the guy said it's his phone .
How nice of you and your friend. I wish there will be more honest people like us .
Anyway , at least i have done my part , though , i was angry deep inside when the guy said it's his phone . 1 person likes this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
1 Sep 15
In a case like that its best that the woman if it is her came back and took matters in her own hands..if she lost it and went looking for it i'm sure there might be cameras to show the truth..but i wouldn't worry about it..it wasn't yours to decide if they were liars or not..let it go..
1 person likes this
@kiran8 (15348)
• Mangalore, India
2 Sep 15
What you did was right and one can only do so much ! But these days there are ways of tracing a cell phone even someone takes possession of it.The lady has to just ask the cell company to trace it ...It happened with one of my relatives and the phone was restored to her within 2-3 days !
1 person likes this
@kiran8 (15348)
• Mangalore, India
2 Sep 15
@SIMPLYD It can be done because each phone has a GPS number which makes it possible to track...
This free gps tracking app lets you locate any mobile devices (android/iphone) with phone number. Phone tracker app establishes a connection with satellite and shows the target on the online map. This is real time gps phone tracker free online works with o
2 people like this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
2 Sep 15
Really ! I haven't heard of something like that here . Perhaps if it is of a phone plan it is possible . But if it is of prepaid sim , could it be done also ?
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
4 Sep 15
I had the opposite situation. I found a phone abandoned on a park bench. It looked expensive. I started to dial the top number on it to leave a message for the people there to contact its owner and let him know his phone was safe as I have done with other phones I have found without problems but he returned as I was dialling and loudly demanded to know what I was doing with his phone as if I'd taken it. I handed it over. He snatched it back and stomped off without a word of thanks.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
4 Sep 15
@SIMPLYD He wouldn't stay around long enough to listen. It should have been obvious I wasn't trying to conceal the phone or leave the exact place he'd left it. I was just glad he went away in the end.
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
1 Sep 15
if the woman came back and they had a cctv camera, they will see what really happened. 
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
1 Sep 15
@hereandthere Maybe i should go there again one of these days to ask if ever the real owner came back to ask if she left her phone there .
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
1 Sep 15
@SIMPLYD so even if you did pick up the phone and took it to the counter, they will see that yes, someone sat there first and left it behind. if she came back to ask about it, they will see her on the screen to prove it's hers.
but since you didn't, same thing. the cctv will also reveal that shameless person who pocketed the phone instead.
1 person likes this
@Shampasaid (76)
• New Delhi, India
2 Sep 15
You tried your best and that keeps your conscience clear. What else can you do? Nothing, so console yourself that you attempted to take a right action.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
2 Sep 15
Yes, that's what i consoled myself - that at least i did my part as being a good citizen .
@cahaya1983 (11120)
• Malaysia
2 Sep 15
That's sad, but at least you did try. I agree that it was probably best to hand it over to the crew yourself, especially since it could be difficult to prove that the phone did not belong to those two people who came later. I would insist that the crew check the CCTV footage too especially since you said they have it in the restaurant.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (158139)
• United States
1 Sep 15
The dishonesty is sad and irritating as well.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
2 Sep 15
Indeed . I felt angry with the guy for being blatantly dishonest!
@owstalaga (4707)
• Philippines
1 Sep 15
Well, you should have been firm and told them you were there even before they got in to order. At least you tried... Maybe next time you can do it differently. You know what they say... karma is digital; so they will get their due soon enough.
At least you tried... Maybe next time you can do it differently. You know what they say... karma is digital; so they will get their due soon enough.1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
2 Sep 15
How i wish i can argue like that . With the two of them and they're bigger than me , i decided to just shut up when he told me that . And that is in my mind , karma will get them .
@Letranknight2015 (51563)
• Philippines
1 Sep 15
I believe next time you should be alert and take those things and give it to the manager effective immediately. Reminds me one time about a family in the jeep, left on the same place i did and they unknowningly left their phone. I picked it up and give it them, which shocked them, but thankful because it was me that pick it up. have a nice day
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
1 Sep 15
Yes, i should have done that . But then , i was also busy eating . I actually saw her leave but didn't look at her table after she left . Only when i again look at the table while eating did i notice the cellphone . I thought she will come back immediately . I was wrong , i should have given it to the Manager .
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
2 Sep 15
Yes, i gave up on these type of people . I know someday , they will meet what is due to their dishonesty .
@Cristi_Ichim (3708)
• Bucharest, Romania
1 Sep 15
In certain cases it is hard to decide what to do about certain stuff.
1 person likes this
