The other day, in the midst of a paper and several hundred pages of reading, I realized I needed to do laundry. With a sigh, I scrounged around for my detergent and a handful of quarters and lugged my dirty clothes down the four flights of stairs to the basement. Fortunately, a couple of the washers were still free. I put a load in and then returned to my room to study for half an hour.
Unintentionally delayed by a long-distance phone call, I was a few minutes late returning to move my stuff from the washer to the dryer. When I arrived, someone had already piled my clothes on one of the tables nearby in order to put a load in the washer. Now I know how annoying it is when people leave their laundry in the machines, and I was not upset. At least not until I realized that one of my favorite shirts &emdash;a new one&emdash;was missing.
At first, I thought perhaps I dropped it on the way, or that it had fallen between the machines. But I searched everywhere and still found no trace of it. I finally concluded that it had been taken.
Thoroughly annoyed, I carried my wet laundry back up the four flights of stairs. All the dryers were full and, after having one piece of clothing stolen, I was not going to leave the rest of it there. I went to dinner and vented my frustrations to some sympathetic friends.
Later that evening, I took my clothes back down to the dryer. Checking my watch, I specifically noted the time they would be finished, and then returned to my room.
About an hour later, I trekked down to the basement yet again. To my utter disbelief, I removed my stuff from the dryer, only to realize that my laundry basket was gone. OK, perhaps it was a little dumb to leave it down there. But there were several others around, and I was gone only an hour. Is a $4 basket from K-Mart that difficult for someone to purchase?
The more I have thought about this incident, the angrier I have become. I like giving people the benefit of the doubt. I do not want to suspect those around me. Yet, the person out there who is now making use of my belongings is more than likely one of my own peers.
What does this incident say about us as Dartmouth students?
For the most part, we have come to this college because we are intelligent. We are capable. We are privileged. And yet, this incident has forced me to ask: do talent and ability correlate with respect, courtesy, and restraint?
I will replace my laundry basket. It will be harder to replace my shirt, but either way, life will certainly go on.
However, I have also learned something out of this experience&emdash;a lesson that I am sad to say a fellow student has taught me very well.
Even among the elite, honesty should not be taken for granted.
