The shoplifting suspect was an older gentleman with salt and pepper hair. I didn't notice him at first until I saw him throw a decorated Christmas wreath into his shopping cart.
His action seemed so unusual of one picking out a Christmas wreath that I took a more deliberate look at him. His demeanor was anything reflective of the holiday joy and his sour expression was further accented by the fact that his wreath was haphazzardly thrown in the shopping cart on top of his groceries. His BAGGED groceries.
It suddenly dawned on me what was going on.
"Excuse me, sir," I began without really thinking through the possible ramifications of what I was about to do. "Did you pay for that wreath?"
The man glared at me and walked off. Although no words were offered from him as either affirmation or denial of his action, his stoney silence and rapid walk was enough for me to put two and two together.
"Did you take that wreath without paying for it?! Mister, did you steal that wreath?!" I yell at his backside as he ignored my questions. Somehow I just had a hard time letting it go.
What surprised me was that there were lots of other people around me. What this man did was an overt--not secretive--attempt to take something without paying for it. It was almost as if he was challenging someone--anyone--to call him on it. And I did.
But no one else even raised an eyebrow. Not even after I bombarded the man with accusational questions. They didn't even look at ME funny. They just went on their own business as if neither he nor I existed.
I don't know if that man was ever caught but I believe I did right by reporting it to an employee of the supermarket (albeit, it was a young teen who was retreiving shopping carts from the parking lot).
I'm trying to figure out if I'm more apalled by the brazen burglary of a Christmas wreath or the shameless apathy of those around me.
1 comment:
Had you been packing heat, you could have made a citizen's arrest!
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