<p>The following is a true story. But I have written two alternative final paragraphs.</p>
<p>My ethical dilemma begins with an insensitive remark I made to a friend. As an apology, I invited him to breakfast at our favorite café, and I sent him a $30 gift card to cover our meal.</p>
<p>We met the next week. When the waiter returned with the card, he informed us there was some credit remaining. “You use it,” said Jim, “and thanks for breakfast.”</p>
<p>“How much credit is left?” I asked the waiter.</p>
<p>“Let’s see,” said Jake, “the balance is $971.12. And I think that’s a record at this place. Second place is $13.78.”</p>
<p>You could have scraped me off the floor with a spatula. “Wait,” I said, “this is a mistake. The card was only for $30.”</p>
<p>Jake talked to the manager who said their records showed I paid a thousand in cash two weeks earlier at 8 a.m.</p>
<p>“Listen, Jake, I’d have to be really snookered at eight in the morning to spend a thousand bucks on a gift card at an omelet shop.”</p>
<p>The manager personally came over and confirmed I could use the card’s balance. “It’s our mistake,” he said, “and we will honor it.”</p>
<p>My wife forbade me to use the balance and demanded that I return the card or destroy it. I knew she was right, but I wanted other opinions. First, I emailed my brother, a New Yorker. I was curious what his perspective would be.</p>
<p>DICK: Peter, the other day I bought a $30 gift card but they gave me $1,000 in credit by mistake. What should I do?</p>
<p>PETER: About what?</p>
<p>Next I sent an email to my editor, Heidi.</p>
<p>DICK: Heidi, can you help with this situation. I have a thousand dollar gift-card at a local breakfast joint because the cashier entered it into their system incorrectly. I only paid for a $30 card. Any suggestions.</p>
<p>HEIDI: First, you need question marks after the words “situation” and “suggestions.” And gift card is not hyphenated. Enjoy your free breakfasts.</p>
<p>My sister was next — a voice of reason.</p>
<p>DICK: I have a thousand dollar credit on a gift card that I paid 30 bucks for. Mary Ellen says I absolutely CAN NOT use it or she will never forgive me. What choice do I have?</p>
<p>LINDA: The choice is simple: 100 free omelets or no divorce.</p>
<p>Finally, I called my friend Bob. “Bob, I’m really not hurting anyone if I use the card, am I?”</p>
<p>“You’d be killing chickens.”</p>
<p>“I’m just eating the eggs.”</p>
<p>“They could have been chickens.”</p>
<p>“Bob, ask your wife what she would do.”</p>
<p>Bob came back to the phone. “Cathy says she agrees with what Mary Ellen said, 100 percent.”</p>
<p>“Did you tell her what Mary Ellen said?”</p>
<p>“No, why would that matter?”</p>
<p>I finally cut up the card. I was looking forward to a three-egg, four-cheese omelet every Sunday for two years, so I’ll be little down about that. But here’s the good news: so will my cholesterol.</p>
<p>OR</p>
<p>Mary Ellen was happy. She said if I used the card and the omelet place caught their mistake, I’d have egg on my face. Which was my plan from the beginning.</p>
<p>Email me your choice of endings or write a better one. Send to <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>. I will publish the results in a future column.</p>
