“Damn,” I cursed, pulling myself up from the recliner. It was Friday night and I was just getting settled in to watch Rambo: First Blood. It had been a long day and all I wanted was to sink into my recliner with a cold beer. Now someone was knocking at the door. I cursed again, wishing my roommate was here so I could tell him to get it. But he wasn’t home yet.

I had my eyes locked on the TV when I opened the door.

“Excuse me. I’m looking for Tom Wahl.” a soft female voice said.

“Huh, what?’ I replied turning my attention to the young woman. She was maybe in her mid to upper twenties, dark hair, slender and very pretty.

“Tom Wahl?” She asked.

“Can I help you?’ I asked.

She raised her right hand and lightly brushed her hair back behind her ear. She smiled and glanced back at her car which was idling on the curb.

I was at the supermarket and found your wallet in the parking lot. I didn’t want to turn it into customer service. It had a lot of cash in it. Just cause they work in customer service doesn’t mean you can trust them.

She pulled a brown leather wallet out of her jacket pocket and held it out to me. Taking it a opened it and thumbed through it. Four hundred and twenty dollars in twenties.

“I got your address off your business cards in there. I didn’t see your drivers license.”

“Uh, yeah.” I said. “I lost my license a couple months back. Too many speeding tickets.”

She was beautiful. My mind was no longer on the movie playing on the TV.

“Can I get you a drink?.I have a cold beer in here.” I knew it was lame, but I was trying to think quick.I didn’t want her to leave. I knew before I even finished the offer she wouldn’t except. She was knocking on the door of a stranger to return a lost wallet. No smart girl is going to step inside. As if to confirm my thoughts, she glanced again at her idling car.

‘Uh, no thanks. I have to get home to the baby sitter.” she stepped back away from the door.

“Hey listen, before you go, what’s your name?’

She hesitated. “Megan.”

Thanks for bringing the wallet back, Megan. There’s a lot of money in there. Most people would have pocketed and never thought twice about it.

“Well, that’s just the way I was raised.” She smiled again.

“Well, I appreciate it.” I said. “Can I offer you a small reward, for your honesty?” I thumbed out two twenties and held it out to her.

“No, thanks,” Megan said. She smiled again. “Maybe you should pay off those speeding tickets and get your license back.”

I shrugged. “Hold on. Can I take you out for supper one of these nights? To thank you for your honesty. I can give you my number — “

“That’s not necessary.” she said holding up her left hand. “Besides, I’m married.”

I watched her as she hurried back to her car, climbed in and slowly backed out of my driveway. As she disappeared down the street, I closed the door and moved back to the living room, slipped the wallet into my rear pocket and sank down into my recliner comfortably. I thought about how pretty she was; and honest. You don’t find honest people like that too often.

Picking up my beer, I took a long drink and my eyes locked onto Sly Stallone on the TV; but there was a sweet looking young lady on my mind. I must have drifted off to sleep while thinking about her. I was jarred awake by the door slamming in the other room. I could hear my roommate banging around in the kitchen as he unloaded groceries on the table.

“What’s with all the noise, Damn it?” I cursed.

I heard his feet stomping across the floor and he appeared in the doorway, a look of dismay stained his face.

“I can’t believe it.” He said shaking his head. “I bought eighty dollars in groceries and lost my wallet at the grocery store. I think in the parking lot. I went back and can’t find it anywhere.”

“Well that sucks.” I said, as he started digging for the phone book. But my mind was again on the pretty woman. I wish she had taken my number.