Rolex rumblings

My name is Jason, and I am in the hospitality business.

I visited an Airbnb in Auckland last weekend [March 15-16].

While departing early on the checkout day, I saw a Rolex watch on the floor of the parking garage.

I picked it up and looked for anyone in the area who might have lost it.

Before leaving, I contacted the Airbnb host to ask for a contact for the building manager, as I had found a “watch.”

Later that day, I received the contact details of a resident who had reported his watch missing.

The owner turned out to be Tim. He sent me a photo of himself posing with the same watch that I had found.

It was a handsome Rolex Datejust; new ones sell in the range of NZD $25,000-30,000.

I told him it was great that the rightful owner had been found and that I would ship it to him the following day once I returned to Tūrangi.

Upon returning home to Tūrangi, I packed the Rolex Datejust neatly in bubble wrap and shipped it via NZ Post overnight courier.

I was shocked when, an hour after sending it, I received a hostile call from Tim.

He said security footage clearly showed me and that he wanted the watch back immediately, threatening to involve the police.

I was taken aback. Where did Tim get the idea that I was going to keep his watch or extort a reward from him?

I listened to his fears and anxieties and realised he probably lives in a world where the rules are ‘finders keepers, losers weepers’.

I advised Tim that we lived in different worlds and had different priorities.

I told him to forget about the postage, as this was on me, and that I hoped he would “pay it forward” one day.

A big thumbs down for the untrusting Tims of the world, and not a thumbs up for me, but a thumbs up to all the people out there whom I’ve witnessed trying to pay it forward in big and small ways.

Just an ancillary note: A couple of years ago, while night fishing at Lake Taupō I lost a sentimental and expensive watch along with my wedding band.

I’m pretty confident that someone found it. Every day, I’m reminded of that loss, and I truly wish someone would return it to me.

Jason Bleibtreu, Tūrangi

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