Well, I did it. I confessed my life of crime and was pardoned…
…by the Babies-R-Us check out ladies anyhow.
You know when you’ve been shopping for so long that your eyes begin to glaze over? For me, these experiences are usually followed by a mild headache and slight dehydration.
Well, last week I was researching food storage for future baby food experiments projects. There must be an agenda to profit from prepackaged baby food ’cause the food storage selection was pretty bleak. So, rather than leaving, what else was I to do but look at ALLLLLL the other baby clothes, gear and friends’ registries?
First of all, I think I’ll be headed the route of consignment shops versus retail stores when it comes time to expand Bennett’s wardrobe. Why pay full price when someone else’s baby only fit that awesome outfit for, like, five minutes? It’s practically new!
Anywho…
Upon finding a registry gift, I headed to the check out and grabbed a bottle of water while I waited in line. (See? Dehydration!) After handing over my coupon, being rung up, leaving the store and already having the trunk of the van open, it dawned on me that the bottle of water was still sitting in the stroller cubby, completely unpaid for.
Yes. I am the most baby-brained thief.
What did I do?
Well, (*gasp!*) I drove off. Don’t judge me! Bennett needed to eat!
Today was redemption day. I had time to grab another purchase I had been meaning to make. While checking out, I told the cashiers to ring up a bottle of water for me because “I stole one last week.”
I do believe I startled them. After explaining myself though, they certainly understood. We’re like BFF’s now.
With all the preggo and baby-brained ladies getting lost in that warehouse of a store, it’s no wonder more items don’t go unpaid for as they’re left hidden all the extra space that we require (the bellies, the strollers, the boobs, etc.).
So glad my conscience is cleared!
Have you ever absent-mindedly stolen anything?
i did it with a bag of cat litter at Walmart once, but fortunately was still in the parking lot when i realized it and ran back in to pay for it
methinks that kind of inadvertant petty thievery happens fairly often but rarely gets confessed (for a number of reasons), so the store staff probably appreciates those of us willing to admit that we made a mistake and {gasp} actually pay for it
Well, my confession certainly didn’t seem like a common practice based on their expressions!
A salt grinder from Sam’s Club once…i took it home with me and then paid for it the next time I went shopping. Oh, and I left Winn Dixie with a whole chicken on the bottom of my cart…had to load everyone back into the cart and go back in and pay for it…
*groan*
How inconvenient! Thank the Lord for honesty!
BFFs … LOL.
Not exactly unintentional, but when i was six or so my sister convinced me to help her steal a couple of individual bags of Lays potato chips from our church. When my mom found us eating them secretly in our room, my backside decided it most certainly was NOT worth it!
Yeesh! And you never stole again, I am sure.
Many times at my age and always go back in and pay. They are amazingly grateful at Wegman’s and very suprised each time. Isn’t it wonderful to have a clear conscience. I hate things hanging over my head or heart!
Yes, indeed. I would have carried the guilt to my grave. I’m way too sensitive to shrug it off.
At least 4-5 times a year! Since Joshua was born, I’ve often given a baby something to hold in the cart to keep him/her distracted while I shop, only to find it still there when I’m getting the kids into the van. Then, I mutter all kinds of unkind words about myself as I run back into the store and place the item on the shelf nearest the door :/
Someday I’ll learn, right?
I’m catching up on your blog tonight! I forgot a plastic dish drainer on the bottom of my Walmart cart one time, back when I still had to take everyone with me everywhere (so maybe I was pregnant with #7?). After getting everyone buckled in carseats and starting to unload, I realized it, so I had to get everyone back out again and go back in (grumbling all the way, LOL). And then the nice greeter lady (not a native English speaker!) could not figure out what I wanted–“You want to return this?” “No, I forgot to pay for it.” “You want money back?” “No, I want to GIVE money for it!” LOL–I finally paid my $3 or so.
We’re like BFFs now! A HA HA HA I can’t say that I have stolen things unknowingly or absentmindedly but I have stolen things intentionally. OOPS. Like I stole a whole bunch of cash that was in my 4th grade teacher’s desk and then stuck it on mom’s Bible so she would find it. I had good intentions. lol
There are so many things that are sweet about that story. Awwww, Manny.
Just this past fall I made a flying trip to Michaels to purchase picture frames for the family portrait we gave as Christmas gifts. I had Darcy in her umbrella stroller and my purse Hung over the handles. I was getting several other things for the Terra cotta pot bird feeders I was making and was in “go-mode” since it was a race against the clock to get back to pickup Ross from preschool. (We pick them up from the playground and if parents arent there before the teachers go inside, your child is taken back inside….alittle tramatizing.) Anyway, I hadn’t gotten a cart, just a basket, since I was pushing the stroller. The basket was overflowing and ridiculously heavy and the clock was ticking. I shoved the frames into the top of my purse that was wide open right in front of my face. Certainly i would see them when i checked out…but, no. I had loaded the car before I realized what I had done. I almost left, but the reason for this forced visit was because I had no idea when I’d make it back. I went back in to pay. And i honestly can’t remember if this was the ONE time ross was taken inside or if Jeremy (who works next door) went over and got him or if i made it just in the nick of time. Details like that sometimes fizzle away once the crisis is over.
You’re a good woman.