If you lost your mobile phone and someone else found it, what would you want them to do with it?

That’s the question in today’s story when one dad finds a lost cell phone in the park.

Let’s see how the story unfolds…

AITA for not giving a phone I found to the 1st kid who claimed it was his?

This took place an hour ago.

My son (8) and I (M39) took my dog for a quick walk. We took a football with us and had a little kick around near some goal posts in a park nearby.

We found a phone on the ground.

I picked it up, it didn’t unlock, so I kept it in my hand in case someone rang it.

Another kid is looking for his dad’s keys but doesn’t think his dad lost his phone.

About 5 minutes later, an older boy (about 10) goes running past us. My son stopped him asked him if he had lost a phone.

“No, I haven’t lost a phone. I’m looking for my dad’s house keys,” he says.

I’m thinking that’s a weird coincidence, maybe the dad left his phone there as well and doesn’t know it yet.

“Well, it’s a dark green case, does it look like your dad’s phone?” I ask.

“Hmm. Dunno” the kid replies. “Shall I just take it anyway?”

“Best not to, I can’t just give the phone to a random kid, no offence. But you live nearby? Just get him to ring it if he’s lost his phone as well.”

It turns out that it was the other kid’s dad’s phone.

Kid runs off.

My son and I kick a ball around.

About 5 minutes later, I see the kid walking up with the dad.

“Hi mate. Did you lose your phone? You able to unlock this?”

Other Dad takes the phone from me without saying a word, unlocks the phone, shows me the unlocked screen and just walks away. Not a word.

The other dad is upset that OP didn’t give the phone to his son.

I ask him, “Sorry mate, have I inconvenienced you? I kept your phone safe. You got it back. That’s a good thing right?”

Other Dad turns and says, “well it’s a bit annoying I had to come here and you didn’t just give my son the phone. He was looking for my keys. It’s obvious the phone also belonged to me also.”

“What? No, I’m not gonna give a phone to a random kid, no offence. He wasn’t even sure it was yours.”

The other dad didn’t even seem grateful for OP keeping his phone safe.

Other Dad doubles down and says it’s common sense for me to give it to the kid.

I double down and tell him it’s common sense not to give a phone to a random kid.

He walks off.

I (this may be a bit AH) call after him, “the thing is bud you never once said thank you.”

Guy turns, gives me a dirty look, then turns around and walks away.

I asked my son if I was wrong for not giving the phone to the kid and my son agreed I was right. But he’s 8. And my girlfriend (who is a diviner arbiter for What Is Right) is out for the evening, so I’m asking Reddit instead.

The other dad should’ve at least said “thank you.” I wonder if his son lied to him and made him think OP wasn’t giving him the phone even though he knew it was his dad’s phone.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted…

This reader thinks OP did the right thing.

Another reader thinks the other dad was wrong.

This reader points out something else the other dad “lost” at the park.

This reader would’ve been happy OP kept the phone safe.

Here’s an interesting idea of something OP could’ve said…

The least he could do is say “thank you.” Jeez!

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.