also, today ben and i found a phone on the sidewalk. the previous statement isn't exactly accurate. ben found a phone and i found the ORBIT gum that clearly fell out of the same pocket. and it wasn't exactly on the sidewalk, but on the patch of grass between the sidewalk and the curb. we were trying to decide who to contact in the phone to get it back to the owner and i suggested we look at the texts. (i also suggested we look through the pictures, but that was for different reasons) the only text he read was:

"i'm sorry you had a bad day. you should bring home some of that $3.99 white wine"

i can't tell if i love this because it's so trashy or because i know that if i drank i would, without a doubt, drink $3.99 white wine.

(note for steve: let's make a graph of the cost/benefit analysis of returning found items to their owner. phones are among the most gratifying to return because of the high cost and minimal benefit for keeping it (reported as stolen, change plans/carriers, etc.) exepnsive jewelry among the most gratifying to keep (difficulty fo finding owner, basically untraceable) i think it'll be a bell curve)

areas to consider:

1. desire of finder to keep it
2. desireof finder to be rewarded (verbal gratitude or monetary gain)
3. ease of locating owner
4. cost of item
5. ease of tracking missing item

being unemployed leaves alot of free brainspace for stuff like this.