NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — It was a surprise - a nice one. And it happened on a recent Sunday afternoon when I was at the Eagle Observer office to work on a couple of pictures for the weekly issue.

I was away from the unlocked front door in an adjacent office area. I didn’t hear the door open. I mention this because when I heard a voice in the adjoining room and came out to meet the man standing at the counter, the first thing I noticed was his hands.

They were large man hands. And they clasped together as though they might have been injured. Or they were holding something. It was the latter. "How was he able to turn the door knob?" I wondered to myself.

As he stood at the counter, he opened his hands and out spilled a huge pile of quarters.

“I was trying to get a paper (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) out of the rack and was having a little trouble,so I pushed the coin return button,” he said.

And the quarters came rolling out. Every time he pushed the button, out rolled more quarters. Finally they stopped. His hands were filled.

He brought them to the Eagle Observer office since the EO and the Democrat-Gazette are part of the same newspaper group.

I mentioned it was a Sunday afternoon. Such an appropriate time for a good man to do what an honest man does. I thank you, Jackie Janes of Gravette.

I write this not only to salute Mr. Janes but also to tell another side to the story.

When I returned the handsful of coins to thelady who services the newspaper racks I was told that every week she is shortchanged many dollars. Is it because someone has “accidentally” taken more than one paper? Or a malfunctioning machine? Or ... ?

Newspaper carriers - and I was one when I was several tads younger - have always had this problem. It happens all too often. Sometimes it results in the carrier losing a whole week’s wages, since he/she is charged for every paper in the rack.

When it happens every week, it can be downright discouraging. It can cause a person to question the integrity of the human specie. It can cause one to question whether the whole system is out of kelter. It makes one want to quit.

Robbing from news racks is not an isolated happening in Gravette. It happens everywhere. Sometimes the entire vending machine disappears only to be discovered later, smashed and lying in a muddy ditch.

As I mentioned, this “Cuff” has a two-fold purpose. First and foremost, the salute and thanks for the honesty of a man who did what all of us should know to be right, and do.

Second, to shame, and I mean that literally, to shame those who may be lax in observing one of the great commandments on which rests a civilized society: “Thou shalt not steal.”

Thank you again, Mr. Janes, for being an example for us all.

Dodie Evans is editor emeritus of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be reached by e-mail at [email protected].

Opinion, Pages 6 on 06/20/2012