Over many years I have been hearing about the Honesty of Finns. In a recent study Helsinki was reported as being the top of the list based on wallets being dropped in different parts of the city and the rate of return.
Over the years, I have seen all sorts of objects dropped by someone being left at a nearby safe place for it to be found by the loser.
But today was different as it concerned me!
Every Friday, Annikki and I go to the Royal Garden Chinese restaurant to eat the Chicken Vindaloo which is part of the buffet feast. My regular taxi driver, Hassan Ahmed from Somalia (and known to us as Lee as he used to work the Chinese restaurant) takes us there.
He came at 12:30 and dropped us at the restaurant by 12:45. I took out my wallet and paid him and then walked into the restaurant . Before I sat down I realised my wallet was not in my pocket.
It was not anywhere where we had been dropped. I rang Lee who had gone for a cup of coffee at the nearby R-Kioski. He rushed back and we checked the taxi, but it was not there.
I went back to the restaurant and had our lunch, but my appetite had vanished.
I rang my bank and cancelled my credit card. This took just a couple of minutes.
Lee came and took us back home by 14:00 hours.
I was making arrangements on how to live without a credit card when my phone rang. It was a lady who comes to look after us regularly - a home helper/nurse.
She told me that my wallet was at the Cheezburger Factory, a restaurant on Asemakatu in the city centre. I rang Lee and informed him and then rang Cheezburger Factory that Lee would pick it up.
We followed the standard identification process.
Lee picked up and he delivered the wallet to me by 17:00 hours.
Here we are, in a city of a population of 180000 people, and everyone in this process acted quickly and efficiently, with utmost honesty and best interest of their fellow man, so I faced no trouble.
People wonder why Finland is the happiest country in the world for the 6th year running.
This is why!
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