DTRT

 

I once mentioned to a co-worker, just as idle conversation, that I had observed there were usually from one to three churches on most corners of a city that was (and still is) awash in violence and crime, and it looked like no one was learning a whole lot on Sundays.   He did not like that much, stating that "church is for sinners."  I thought "wha...?" but said (and this was the wrong thing to do, judging from his reaction) one could ignore the twisting toils of religion and philosophy by substituting four words:  Do The Right Thing.  

But...while that should prevent a lot of bad behavior if practiced,  I have found it often does not work out too well for you.   

Once while I was picking up car wreck litter on the boulevard -- it is banked the wrong way and about once a month a speeding car goes off the road into the drainage area or hops the median.  Someone stopped and accused me of being the driver who made the mess and wanted my information.  A block closer to home, I once picked up some litter caught by a parked car's wheels (the wind always blows on trash day); the owner came out of his house, followed me home, and demanded to know what I was doing to his car.

Many years ago during a very bad snow and ice storm, I received a frantic call from the person on duty at the radio station where we worked.  The studio had moved to the middle of nowhere behind a farm and was no treat to get to, especially at night.  He had been trapped there long beyond his shift, probably quite hungry, and needed me to relieve him.  It would not have been right to not help, so I headed out in my mother's car with bald recapped (remember those?) rear tires.  On the way, a VW was sitting at the bottom of an icy hill with no brake lights on.  Too late, I realized it was not moving; it did move when I slid into it.  A bogus "neck pain" law suit later, I found my insurance cancelled and had to give up my own new car (not the accident one).  No good deed goes unpunished, as they say.

Away from vehicular to-dos, there are many more examples, which I will spare you, except for these:  I found a Social Security card near the local library on a walk.  I returned home, got on the computer and found an address for it, walked back and returned it, asking if this was the right residence.   The man who answered was extremely suspicious and unfriendly, but carefully took the card before shutting the door quickly.  That was sure worth all the effort.  And once I complimented a stressed mother (a relative) who was dealing with a shrieking toddler at a big noisy event just with the motivation to make her feel a little better.  Big mistake, as it was taken the wrong way.  No more unsolicited encouragement from me anymore!

I don't know why things play out this way.  Despite the evidence, I still think DTRT is a valid common-sense guide.  That ol'  karma is tricky, though.