Who do you trust to handle your credit cards? Friends? Strangers? What about a homeless man on the street?

Merrie Harris, an ad executive in New York, took a leap of faith last week when she loaned her credit card to a homeless man who ask her for some cash.

Harris was out on the town, reports the New York Press, and just leaving a restaurant, when she was approached by a homeless man. He asked if she had any cash so that he could get a Vitamin Water, and she responded that she only had her credit card.

Then he surprised her by asking to borrow it. She returned the surprise with one of her own when she reached into her purse and handed her card over.

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According to the New York Post, everyone with her thought it was the “dumbest thing,” and that she had crossed the line between charity and stupidity. Harris describes herself as an eternal optimist, but even she had doubts as she watched Jay Valentine disappear down the street with her corporate card.

She went back into the restaurant to wait for the man, while fighting against a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Fifteen minutes later, someone came down the stairs, yelling, “He’s back!” And he was back with his small purchases: a Vitamin Water, a pack of cigarettes, a t-shirt and deodorant.

She told him she knew he’d come back, and he responded, “Of course. I’m an honest person.”

Harris’s faith in humanity is wonderful, but she did call American Express, reports CBS News, just to be on the safe side. And sure enough, he purchased only those four items.

But the good news doesn’t end there, reports UPI News. After the story of the generous and trusting advertising executive spread on local and national tv news stations, Jay Valentine’s lucky streak just kept going. An anonymous man from Texas offered him $5,000 and Air Wisconsin at LaGuardia airport announced that he should apply to be a flight attendant.

Harris just believes that if you have a little faith in humanity, people will prove us right.

So what would you do? Would you let someone borrow your credit to get just a few items? Or would it stay safely in your wallet.