Liberal Return Policy

Max Benis was sitting in a supermarket snack area Friday, feasting on pie and ice cream, when the store manager walked over and handed him something: his wallet containing $5,000.

“I didn’t even know it was gone,” said Benis, a retired doctor. “I thought, ‘Hooray! Someone I didn’t even know gave me a gift of love and kindness.’ ”

Benis, 72, of Laguna Niguel said he had just sold his car and was celebrating with a sweet treat at his neighborhood Hughes market. In his jubilation, he didn’t notice that he had dropped the wallet with his windfall.

Greg Thomas, a bagger at the store, spotted the small, brown-leather, zip-up billfold on the floor, and so did a customer.

“We reached for it at the same time,” said Thomas, 19, of San Juan Capistrano. “He handed the wallet to me, and I took it to the manager.”

The wallet went into the store safe while services manager Karen Wilson began the search for the owner. She didn’t open the wallet--she didn’t have to. Benis’ American Express card was visible through a window on one side of the wallet. She saw his name and immediately connected it to his face.

“We all know him,” she said. “Max is always in here.”

Benis gave hearty thanks and praise to the store’s staff but said he wished the unknown customer had stuck around.

“I’m going to leave him the rest of my pie,” he said.