One of my "friends" (more like a guy i know but don't like to associate with too much) invited me over for beer (a.k.a. his toilet broke and he's an idiot and can't fix it himself, and I'm too nice).
After I fixed his toiled and we downed a few brews, he said he had something to show me. We went to the basement, and he showed me a 5 gallon bucket of tools. I saw some marks engraved on the tools that I recognized...
When I lost my job at Lowes and had 3 weeks before I started my new job, I was going to the day labor place and I actually met a decent person there. He was an electrician, but had an accident when a forktruck ran into his scaffolding. He got a settlement, and works casual jobs because he can't stand for more than 8 to 9 hours on a good day, and he doesn't wanna sit around being bored. He showed me some of his tools, many were from the 1940's and still going strong. It was his mark I saw.
I call the electrician up, and he confirms that his tools were missing. I then go back to my "friend's" house, and try to make him feel guilty about taking the tools. I told him that he deprived a hard working person of his means to make a living, and that he had two options: I would turn him in, or he could turn himself in, and I would go down with him.
He ended up turning himself in. Come court day, the electrician and I showed up. The electrician asked the judge that my "friend" get community service in lieu of jail, since he got his tools back and it was his first offense. I testified that my "friend" is an okay guy, but does alot of things without thinking (which is very true).
Long story short, the electrician (my real firend) got his tools back, my "friend" got 2 weeks in jail and 60 hours of community service and learned his lesson, and isn't bitter towards me. He actually thanked me for saving his butt. I'm sure he saved his own butt a bit by turning himself in, but most of all, I'm glad the electrician got his tools back.
