JUST WHEN it seems that the world is going to the hell reserved for wars, politics and celebrity nonsense, Robert Lewis comes along. Like a shaft of sunlight on a stormy day, Lewis is a reminder that goodness and honesty survive, and often prevail, in even the worst of times.
Lewis works two jobs at Kansas City International Airport. On Monday, he was on his way home after 17 hours at work when he came across an abandoned cargo bag. He looked inside and found the bag was filled with diamond rings and wedding bands — more than a quarter of a million dollars worth of jewelry.
Imagine such a moment — alone in the dusk with a bag of glittering loot and not a witness in sight. For someone working to jobs two pay for his wedding, the temptation must have been strong to say a heartfelt “Thank you” to the gods, pick up the bag and go home.
Lewis took the bag to the police.
He’s an honest man, but he is no plaster saint. Neither is he a fool.
“For one second, I thought, ‘I could bury this in my backyard and then pull it out when I’m 60 years old or so,”’ he told The Associated Press. “By then, no one would remember it.”
But Lewis decided to do the right thing. As a result, he has a clear conscience — and $10,000.
Helzberg Diamonds was delighted to get its jewelry back. The bag had last been seen as it was loaded onto an armored truck for shipment to New York. The company has promised Lewis a $10,000 reward and also plans to give $5,000 in Lewis’ name to the Jackson County, Mo., Court Appointed Special Advocates program. CASA is that group of volunteers who act as advocates for children who become involved the court system. (For Gazette readers looking for a way to honor someone, Emporia also has a CASA program.)
To quote Shakespeare (and Willie Wonka), “So shines a good deed in a weary world.”
Robert Lewis did the right thing. He also provided a fine example for all who hear his story.