SOME FOND MEMORIES OF UK: 2

One of the things that really struck me when I started living in London was the general level of honesty. There were many incidents like this but I will quote just one here.

When we bought a new hob I rang several gas installers and one finally agreed to come. He said me over the phone that he will charge me 90 pounds. I agreed. When I gave him 90 pounds after he had installed the hob, he returned 20 pounds to me and said, "When I had talked to you over the phone, I had thought that there would be more work but while doing it I realised it wasn't that much work. 70 pounds is enough for this job." I said, "Patrick, you have put me in great difficulty. We had agreed on 90 pounds. If I give you 70 now, I will feel that I have abused your honesty. Why don't we split the difference and I give you 80", to which he agreed.

I kept thinking later on what the level of honesty in a nation must be in which a gas installer has the morality to return that has already been handed over to him, just because he feels he hasn't earned it all.