ON A blustery day in Mount Gambier, two women chased $50 notes caught in the wind at the corner of Alexander Street and Penola Road.
Elizabeth Wright and Jennifer Ferguson were laughing in disbelief as they continued to find cash on the footpath and swept into bushes in what was a surreal windfall.
“Instead of raining men, it was raining notes,” Ms Wright told The Border Watch.
“I spotted two $50 notes on the ground and picked them up, thinking whoever dropped them must be nearby.
“Then I realised there was money floating in the air and notes scattered all over the place.”
Ms Ferguson noticed Ms Wright chasing the cash in the wind and stopped to help.
“I was driving past and I thought the money must have been hers, so I pulled over to help,” Ms Ferguson explained.
“We were chasing these $50 notes around for about 10 minutes and collected $1150.”
The two kind-hearted strangers – who have since connected on social media – handed the money over to police.
“It was the right thing to do,” Ms Wright said simply.
“We did wonder why someone would have so much cash on them and figured if it was dodgy somehow it was unlikely anyone would turn up at the police station to collect it.”
The cash in fact belonged to Alpha Shondo, who would soon be struck by panic when he reached into his empty coat pocket at a used car dealership across town.
“I had withdrawn $2000 in cash from the bank to buy a second car,” Mr Shondo explained.
“I work long hours at the meat works in Naracoorte, so I stay there during the week, but my family stays here in Mount Gambier without a car.
“We had picked out a small used car for me to drive to work and I was on my way to buy it.
“It was only when I went to grab the money from my pocket that I realised it was all gone.”
Mr Shondo, who immigrated from war-torn Congo in 2016, explained he was accustomed to paying for everything with cash.
He said he was astounded to learn two Good Samaritans had handed the money over to police.
“I thought the money was lost forever – I had retraced my steps, but I thought it could be anywhere, anyone could have picked it up,” he said.
“I am so grateful I was able to go to the police and have most of the money returned to me – I feel very thankful and I wish I could return their kindness somehow.”
After hearing of his bad luck, Ms Wright started a Go Fund Me page to help make up the $850 Mr Shondo needed to purchase the car.
“I feel so bad for him, I know if I lost that much money I would be devastated,” she said.
“I hope I can raise the amount he needs to buy his car.”
Visit www.gofundme.com/to-the-gentlemen-who-lost-his-money to support the cause.
