Pond Thief

[Redhead17]

Right now it is flu season and it also winter. The temperature for today was 16 degrees F.

Inside the building I work at outside of the store there is a fish pond that people throw money into. Today a man was stealing coins out of the fish pond. A nice man came in and informed my manager that the other guy was doing this. My manager goes out to see what was happening and sees him stick the coins in his pocket. The man notices my manager.

Manager: Umm... What are you doing?

Man: I'm sick and I got hot, so I put my hands in the water to cool off.

Manager: Okay, there is a water fountain and a bathroom right down the hall. But if you are that sick I would suggest going home.

Man: Okay, Thanks! *Leaves*

[sirwired]

You have to be REALLY desperate for cash to stick your hands into water that cold! I suspect it's probably about exactly freezing... drug addict not noticing the pain?

[Jay 2K Winger]

Am I the only one who read the OP title and wondered if The Doctor would be on the case to find out who was messing with his in-laws friends?

[LuvianBlue]

My sister and I did that once when we were kids at a park or zoo or something (I can't remember which). Our mom told us that people tossed the coins in the water to make wishes, and that stealing the coins would steal their wishes.

We promptly put every last coin back in the water and apologized.

'Course I was a kid, I dunno what that this dude's excuse is ._.

[Mr Hero]

Am I the only one who read the OP title and wondered if The Doctor would be on the case to find out who was messing with his in-laws friends?

Nope! I immediately thought of Amy because one day I'm going to have a night with Karen Gillian.

[AmethystSquirrel]

Am I the only one who read the OP title and wondered if The Doctor would be on the case to find out who was messing with his in-laws friends?

I thought the same thing!!

[unperson]

The interwebs have informed me that 16°F is nearly -9°C. Wha? Warm up would have made more sense.

Considering water freezes at ~32* F, I'm dubious that the numbers are right in this case.

Unless this guy managed to somehow shove his hands into a solid block of ice and retrieve money from underneath it. Or it was salt water.

[jedimaster91]

Large bodies of water take forever to freeze, especially if it's moving. Also, there may be chemicals in the water that would alter the freezing temp.

[sms001]

The interwebs have informed me that 16°F is nearly -9°C. Wha? Warm up would have made more sense.

Inside the building I work at outside of the store there is a fish pond

So I'm seeing a mall or galleria where the pond is actually inside but Redhead is indicating that it isn't within the store itself.

If the guy can reach the coins, it probably isn't deep enough to keep from freezing by thermal mass, and the presence of fish would contraindicate anti-freeze chemicals.

And for me, it wasn't Dr. Who that sprang to mind, but Claudia and Jamie. Yes, I'm old.

[Lace Neil Singer]

In a mall near where I live, there's a fountain where coins are collected and given to a children's charity. The mall has had to put wire netting over the water to stop people from stealing the money; the mesh is big enough so that coins fit thru, but won't let anyone stick their hands in. Just how low do you have to be to steal from a charity?

[Redhead17]

Thanks to sms001 for pointing out that the pond is indeed inside. I was informed that the money does go to a children's charity. But there is nothing we can do because if we put up nets or some such thing no one would be able to look at the fishes also no one would be able to sit there anymore because the design of the pond also suits as a sitting area.

[Lace Neil Singer]

How about... changing the goldfish for piranhas?

[Redhead17]

How about... changing the goldfish for piranhas?

Wishful thinking! Maybe we could hide an eel or two in there also.