While on my recent business trip, I decided to take a walk on a treadmill in the fitness room of my hotel. Here’s the problem … I couldn’t figure out how to get there. It appeared that the elevator would take me to the 7th, 5th, 3rd, or 7th floors.
I took the stairs. Nobody takes the stairs in hotels with elevators. I don’t blame them. Elevators are fun. I like jumping in the elevator while it is moving. Yes, I got one stuck once. Oops.
Anyway, the stairs led me straight to the laundry room on the first floor. Oops, again. I saw a door and headed toward it, hoping it would take me to the hotel lobby. Nope. It was an exit. There I was, standing outside in St. Louis … the murder capital of the USA. Oops, thrice.
So, I made the bold decision to take this sage advice printed on my hotel room key packet.
I opened up my world by walking the parking lots of my hotel and surrounding businesses. And I am thrilled that I did. Not only did I get a good walk in without being murdered, but I also came away with these treasures.
I’ll do the math for you. That’s 21 cents (I’m pretty sure the coin second from the left is a nickel), a cable tie with a cash value of about 1 cent, and a speckled rock for my pond area. It could have been 22 cents, but I couldn’t dig out the penny stuck in the tar under the Jack in the Box drive through window.
I know what you’re thinking. Will Jim pay taxes on this found treasure? Absolutely not! This is found money, not earned money. The tax liabilities are clearly spelled out by the US Tax Code in the “Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers” section.
Anyway, I got out and saw the world, taking the advice from my hotel room key packet and singer/songwriter Brett Dennen.
Such a sweet song with a special message at the end. Dennen supposedly wrote that song for his young son. I’m sure he had no idea that we’d all be a bit richer after listening to it. Specifically, 21 cents richer for me!
Jim Flanigan Looks at the World 