Would You?

[Family Ties Forever!]

Would you take money from a wishing well? I wouldn't.

My sister called me today. She told me how she has a bunch of money. She was bragging. I asked her how she got all the money. In addition to allowance she has been taking money (quarters, etc.) out of the wishing well at her school. She told me that she has several quarters.

I told her I thought that was wrong. I mentioned that I don't think she should be taking that money. I asked her if the teachers saw her and tried to stop her. She said no. She told me that they don't pay attention and don't see her do it.

[Stormtracker TF]

If someone is going to literally throw money out the window I see no wrong in taking it off of their hands.

[MickeyMac]

Probably not

[Marvo301]

Often the money in a wishing well is meant to be donated to charity. So I think it would be unethical to help yourself to that money.

[Stuck In The '70's]

No I wouldn't.

[Family Ties Forever!]

Often the money in a wishing well is meant to be donated to charity. So I think it would be unethical to help yourself to that money.

I agree.

[OH Nuts!]

I ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT DO IT. (It would be stealing-at least to me.)

[catlover79]

No, I wouldn't - especially with security cameras all over the place.

[spunkygirl]

No because it's stealing and just wrong

[Family Ties Forever!]

No, I wouldn't - especially with security cameras all over the place.

I didn't think of that. If her school has cameras then she's on camera stealing the money.

[catlover79]

I didn't think of that. If her school has cameras then she's on camera stealing the money.
There's a shopping plaza down the street from the office building I used to work at with an outdoor wishing well fountain (technically, a small pond). There's a chain around the pond with a sign on it warning potential thieves that there are security cameras on and that anyone caught stealing from the pond will be prosecuted. So there's another good reason not to steal!! :eek:

[Family Ties Forever!]

I mentioned to my mother on the phone that it's possible that there might be cameras in the school. My mother's response to that was that if there were cameras my sister would have been pulled aside already and talked to.

Apparently my sister is no claiming that what she (my sister) told me wasn't all true. She has a history of lying. I think that before she was telling the truth and that now she's lying. She's trying to 'back peddle'. Of course my mother is choosing to believe her.

[spunkygirl]

I'd report her to the school. That may sound harsh, but it sounds like what she needs to learn her lesson

[Stormtracker TF]

I don't think they donate that money to charity. From what I heard, whoever cleans the fountain just pockets it and that's that. I heard this from someone who worked at a building with a fountain, so I assume it's true.

Then again, I live in Detroit. People steal cars without getting in trouble, stealing a few dimes isn't going to get you a permanent record or anything.

[catlover79]

I'd report her to the school. That may sound harsh, but it sounds like what she needs to learn her lesson
I agree. I mean, at this point, what have you got to lose?

[Janice]

I think she's wrong, and I think your mother is also wrong for letting it slide. It sends her the message that things are there for the taking, and they're not. I'm sure it's there for charity, and if it's not, it's certainly not there for your sister. Nobody is going to pay for the cost of maintenance for the wishing well so people can fill their pockets.

[Tweety]

It would never have occurred to me to take money from a wishing well.

[cleverfun3000]

Money thrown into a wishing pond on public property is regularly and normally pocket by whoever cleans the pool,
pond, well; etc. I know of 2 matainence workers who for many, many years have pocketed all wishing pond or foun-
tain money with no repercussions whatsoever. It's generally believed that once the coin(s) hit the water, the wish is in effect.
http://i56.tinypic.com/4q1x55.jpg

[Family Ties Forever!]

I think she's wrong, and I think your mother is also wrong for letting it slide. It sends her the message that things are there for the taking, and they're not. I'm sure it's there for charity, and if it's not, it's certainly not there for your sister. Nobody is going to pay for the cost of maintenance for the wishing well so people can fill their pockets.

I agree. It sends the wrong message. It starts with taking money out of a wishing well, but where does it end? My sister might get the idea that anything that is laying somewhere is up for grabs. I wonder what she would do if someone lost their wallet, cell phone or something else. She would probably keep it, which is wrong, imo.

[Janice]

Money thrown into a wishing pond on public property is regularly and normally pocket by whoever cleans the pool,
pond, well; etc. I know of 2 matainence workers who for many, many years have pocketed all wishing pond or foun-
tain money with no repercussions whatsoever. It's generally believed that once the coin(s) hit the water, the wish is in effect.
http://i56.tinypic.com/4q1x55.jpg
How does a person go about cleaning a wishing well? If it's on public property, the state has no problem with anyone cleaning it, however it's done? Seems to me a giant liability issue, unless the cleaners are hired by the state. What if a drunk decided to clean it and ended up face down in the well? If they are hired, wouldn't they have to claim that money to the IRS. In this case, the wishing well is on school grounds. I doubt they tell the maintenance worker who works for the school to keep the change. How about the wishing fountains inside malls? I can just grab a bottle of Lysol, put on some plastic cleaning gloves, get cleaning and walk out with a bag of change. That's just ridiculous.

[70s show watcher]

no i would not

[HuntingtonM15]

If they are hired, wouldn't they have to claim that money to the IRS.

If they were hired and told they could keep the money for doing the work, I'd certainly consider that reportable income. Though, I don't think many people would claim it since it's not exactly traceable. That's why I don't think they are just "told" they can keep it. It would make more sense for state/county/city or whatever to collect it and use the money themselves as part of the maintenance salary.

[catlover79]

How does a person go about cleaning a wishing well? If it's on public property, the state has no problem with anyone cleaning it, however it's done? Seems to me a giant liability issue, unless the cleaners are hired by the state. What if a drunk decided to clean it and ended up face down in the well? If they are hired, wouldn't they have to claim that money to the IRS. In this case, the wishing well is on school grounds. I doubt they tell the maintenance worker who works for the school to keep the change. How about the wishing fountains inside malls? I can just grab a bottle of Lysol, put on some plastic cleaning gloves, get cleaning and walk out with a bag of change. That's just ridiculous.
That's a great question! You never really know what goes on when it comes to wishing wells and coins. It would be really great to find out how the process works.

[Family Ties Forever!]

Now my sister has changed her "story". She says that she found the money in the park and not in the wishing well at school. She's full of baloney.

[Tweety]

Now my sister has changed her "story". She says that she found the money in the park and not in the wishing well at school. She's full of baloney.

Might as well warn you now... if she ends up saying that she found the money after it fell out of an airplane that was flying overhead, she got the idea from a "Leave it to Beaver" episode. Larry Mondello had taken some money from his Mom and they threw it out of her bedroom window into the front yard so Larry and Beaver could "truthfully" say they "found" it in the front yard.

You never know what this will eventually lead to!

[catlover79]

Might as well warn you now... if she ends up saying that she found the money after it fell out of an airplane that was flying overhead, she got the idea from a "Leave it to Beaver" episode. Larry Mondello had taken some money from his Mom and they threw it out of her bedroom window into the front yard so Larry and Beaver could "truthfully" say they "found" it in the front yard.

You never know what this will eventually lead to!
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: I remember that episode. That Larry could be such a weasel.

[Tweety]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: I remember that episode. That Larry could be such a weasel.

:lol: He sure was!