Turkey: Bill dropped on street paid off by stranger

By Sebahatdin Zeyrek, Kubra Chohan

DENIZLI, Turkey

From southwestern Turkey comes a tale of selfless help extended to a perfect stranger, known only from paper lying on the street, easily mistaken for rubbish.

But when Ramazan Ozlen from the Denizli province, who was on his way to work that morning, took a closer look at the paper on the ground, he saw in fact that it was a bill from the water department -- right next to 50 Turkish liras ($13.30), also on the ground.

Clearly someone had dropped the bill and the money meant to pay it -- for most people in Turkey, 50 liras isn’t a small amount of money.

“Thinking the owner might be in need, I took the money and went to work. Then later I paid the bill online,” Ozlen told reporters.

He then took a picture of the bill and posted it on social media, saying reassuringly:

“Whoever this belongs to, it’s taken care of. The owner can get their change of 1.30 liras whenever they want."

After hearing of his deed, the company Ozlen works for even gave him a certificate of appreciation for his exemplary behavior.