A Little Bit of Shame

I was at the grocery store today, and noticed that someone had abandoned a half-pound of pricey scallops in the cheese aisle. So I picked them up, and returned them to the seafood counter what happened to them after that, I don't know. Maybe, since the package was unopened, the scallops could still be sold. But perhaps it's more likely they went into the trash as a loss.

I suspect that someone had simply walked away from the food because they were too embarrassed to walk back the 30 feet to the seafood counter. It seems like a small thing to be concerned about. But I've encountered situations were people were expected to feel ashamed for less. I wonder what we could make better if we weren't so attached to shame.