Sunday Scribblings - Thief

I thought and thought.. and thought about this for a long time.  There wasn't a story of fiction to come up with, only the reality of what I might have done in my past.  There wasn't I time I was stolen from, emotionally or literally.  So, here goes.

I guess I can chalk it up to being young, curious, and brazen.  Add cheap in there too.  I've stolen a couple of things in my life from department stores.  Once, with a friend, we went bathing suit shopping.  This particular store didn't have those metal detecting tags on their clothing.  At my friends urging, we each picked out about 6 suits and went to try them on.  Her idea was that we would keep the one we really liked under our clothing and return the rest to the saleslady.  That we did, and got away with it.  I feel utterly stupid about it now 12 years later and I often ask myself how I had the audacity to do it.  I could never do such a thing today.

Then a few months ago, I'm watching Oprah and the topic is 'secrets' of housewives.  One woman was a thief.  She stole from stores for the thrill of it.  Because it was so easy for her, she had a kid in her cart whom she'd hand a toy or book or whatever, pay for some stuff, and walk out with the item the kid was holding not paid for.. because the clerk would believe it was the kid's to begin with.  I thought about this for a long time because she said it was so easy to do.  Until she got caught.

So, I tested her theory, without my kid, alone in a little store.  Item of choice, a $17 nail polish.  I did buy a bunch of stuff and decided that the nail polish would be my product to walk out with.  I left it at the bottom of my cart, and as I paid for my stuff, I loaded the bags on top of the nail polish.  Then I walked out with it.  Easy.  If I had gotten caught, I could always say I didn't see it because it was such a small item.

I'm not going to make a profession of thievery at all, I was just simply testing this con lady's methods out.  And you know what, it worked.  That once.  Never again because the guilt that follows is very heavy and hard to deal with.

I'm a firm believer in karma and what goes around comes around.  I wouldn't want to be stolen from - ever.  So, there ended my stealing days.  A bathing suit, a nail polish.. and a few make up products back in the day when I worked for the department store cosmetic counters...  I think it's much less painful than stealing someone's heart or having my heart stolen from, but wrong, wrong, wrong nonetheless.

Comments

[Kassi]

I used to shoplift with my friends during my teenage years. Now...I would be a nervous wreck. I think that with age comes honesty. Sometimes.

[Tammy]

LOL They should have put a warning up on the screen "this act causes bad karma."

[Paris Parfait]

Beautiful Bella, what a story! Good for you for being honest about your misadventures. The saddest incident I witnessed in a store was an old lady stealing food. She was obviously desperate, so we turned away as though we didn't see her.

[Jessie]

I'm a firm believer in "book karma." In other words, if I borrow a book from someone I always make sure I give it back (even if they've forgotten I have it) because I'd hate to get bad book karma and not get the books that I lend out in return.

Oh--the superstitions! If they don't get you--guilt will.
:P

[Kay]

So honest. Thanks for sharing.

And if the guilt ever gets too bad, send the store a money order. Anonymously.

[kristen]

I love your freshness and honesty Bella. I think it's interesting to test yourself and what you believe in from time to time.