David was studying at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in 1980. He lived on the little allowance his parents sent him every month.
Somehow, David did not receive any money from his parents for two months. He was down to his last penny. With his stomach rumbling, he went to a telephone booth and made a call home. His mother picked up the receiver.
"Mum, I've run out of money. I'm starving," said David. His mother replied, "I know, my dear." Just when David was about to question his mother why she stopped sending him money, he suddenly noted a tone of desolation in her voice. His gut feeling told him that something was wrong. "Has something happened?" he quickly asked. "Yes, my dear. Your father has been sick for five months. Not only have we spent all our savings, we've lost our only source of income too. That's why we haven't been sending you money for two months. I meant to keep this from you actually. But you've grown up. It's time you provided for yourself." His mother cried. David could not hold back his tears either. He said to his mother, "Don't be sad, Mum. I'll find a job right away and support you."
Reality could not have been crueller. There was only one more month to go before the term ended. All David needed was $10 to see him through that one month. Summer holiday would follow and he would be able to find a job to support himself. But now that he was penniless, he would have to quit his studies. He was distressed as he hung up the phone, for his grades were good, and he liked the life at UTA. When the receiver was put back, there was a jingle. Coins were pouring out from the public phone. David was thrilled. He stretched out his hands to catch them.
What was he supposed to do with the money? He had every reason to pocket it since he was in dire straits. And nobody would find out. But after struggling with his conscience, David felt he should not keep the money for himself. He inserted one of the coins into the phone and dialed the service line of the phone company. After learning about the situation, the operator told him that the money belonged to the phone company and that he had to put the coins back into the phone.
David hung up and did as he was told. But the phone simply rejected the coins. He had to call the operator again. Not knowing what to do, the operator sought her superior's advice. She could detect a strong sense of helplessness in David's voice. She felt this honest stranger at the other end of the line needed help. Soon, she called back to the faulty phone and told David, "My superior said you can keep the money. We can't afford to send someone down just to collect a few dollars as we're shorthanded." David jumped for joy. The coins were his now. He started counting them. There was US$9.50 altogether – enough to tide him over till the summer holiday.
Soon it was the summer holiday and David got a job as a warehouse cleaner of a department store. He told the boss of the department store about the coins and his wish to find a job. Moved by his honesty, the boss welcomed David to work for him even after the holiday. David worked conscientiously and was paid double for the job. He sent all his pay home, for he had been awarded a scholarship in the new term. A month later, the money was sent back to him. His mother wrote to tell him that his father had got better, and that she had found a job to support the family. She also asked David to concentrate on his studies and not to starve himself. David was moved to tears.
A year later, David graduated. He set up a company and made US$100K just after one year. The incident of the telephone booth was deeply etched on his memory. He wrote to the phone company to thank them for the US$9.50, and even donated a sum of US$10K to them.
The boss of the phone company responded with a heartwarming reply. He congratulated David on his achievements, and expressed that the US$9.50 spent was most worthwhile, not because the company got US$10K in return, but because it helped a person to realize one should always cherish hope in adversity and be steadfast to one's principles.
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