Good Samaritan or Fool ?

A few days ago at work, I was walking down the hall and found a $5 bill right outside the door. I looked around to see if someone had dropped it, but there was no one around. Since I found the bill right outside a door of another room, I thought that perhaps someone in that room had dropped that bill.

I walked into the room with the sole purpose of asking someone if they had dropped any money. I saw a shady looking man picking up some print-outs from the printer. I stared at him, but hesitated to ask him, but I felt awkward standing in the room with a $5 bill, so I eventually asked the man.

The man checks his pocket like he had a million bucks missing and answers "Yes", he did lose money. At this point, I was unconvinced but he had already seen the bill so I decided to give him the money anyways.

As I walked out of that room, I felt like I got played. I am sure that guy must think I am the biggest idiot to believe that stunt he pulled.

This situation, like many in my life, reminded me of a Seinfeld episode. It was the series finale, where Jerry, George and Elaine witness the robbery of a fat guy, which they all mock and Kramer videotapes. They are arrested under the Good Samaritan law established by the town.

After witnessing the robbery, a police officer pulls up to the group:

Officer: You're under arrest.
Jerry: Under arrest? What for?
Officer: Article 223-7 of the Latham County Penal Code.
Elaine: What? No, no - we didn't do anything.
Officer: That's exactly right. The law requires you to help or assist anyone in danger as long as it's reasonable todo so.
George: I never heard of that.
Officer: It's new. It's called the Good Samaritan Law. Let's go.

Maybe I should not have done nothing in my situation too, no good Samaritan Law exists in Toronto. I could have taken that money and donated it to charity or something. I tried to do the good Samaritan thing, but maybe I was a fool, you can be the judge.