Crazy Story II

I was fifteen working as a waitress in the dinning room of a upscale nursing/retirement community. I was getting paid really well. Especially for a fifteen year old. It was a fairly easy job. Just had to deal patiently with a few disgruntled patrons but otherwise all was well.

I would walk from school past John Wanamaker's (a retail store no longer in business) through a open shopping center and on the other side of a small hill was the retirement community.

Some days I would have time to stop at John Wanamaker's on my way to work. Just to kill time because I was a hour or so early. One Day I decided to shop for a purse. I found the cutest red leather Perry Ellis purse and matching wallet. Now this is one of those stores that everything has one of those theft detectors on it. Even the underwear. So how the one purse and wallet I fell in love with didn't have the detector thing on it? I don't know. 

This is were the story takes a turn. If you don't want to know about my crazy days and you'd rather have this image that I've been saved always and walk on water don't read on or it'll mess you up... :)

I put the wallet inside the purse. I continued to browse the store. Picking up items here and there. Finally, I went into the fitting room. There I tried on a few things. Then I slipped the purse and the wallet in my backpack. When I came out of the fitting room I just put the items I didn't want on the counter and causally walked through the door. Although the purse nor the wallet had the theft detectors on them. I still held my breath when I walked through the exit door. I made it through... and continued on to work. 

That was just the beginning. I hit that store a few days a week for half the school year. When Christmas time came well... my uncle got a Christian Dior bath robe, my brother a leather jacket, the women in my family received purses and wallets. I began to gain a knack for finding things that didn't have the theft detectors. I had a method to my madness. That school year I got a lot of compliments on my clothing and accessories. Nobody knew. My family had no idea because I had a job that paid well.

One day I just got the feeling I really needed to stop. I needed to stop because I was destined to get caught if I didn't. I didn't visit that store for a few weeks. It was spring time. The purse that I originally stole now had  a broken strap. I remember thinking ... I'll replace this purse and that's it for me. I have to stop for good.

I went into the dressing room with a whole bunch of stuff. All of it I brought back out except a new purse and wallet. What's crazy? I thought I heard the cashier in that area talking on phone whispering. Something in me felt alarmed. Nevertheless, I continued on. I'd gotten away so many times. I browsed the stored attempting to look casual. I walked out the door and down a slight hill. I began to breathe. Then ... A short stocky lady came running out of the store asking me to stop and wait. For a split second I thought about trying to out run her. I looked at her stocky legs and thought twice. I stood there just waiting for the hammer to fall.

We walked back into the store. We walked through a door I'd never seen before walked down an long corridor to a little room. Where there was another lady waiting. The two women began to empty my backpack. They found text books, college brochures and a purse with a matching wallet. 

If haven't told you yet... I wanted to cry. The lady behind the desk looks at me and says "Your obviously a good kid. Your applying to college. You have a plan and future for your life. Why you're doing this I don't understand." My heart is now starting to ease its way out of my throat making it's way back to my chest. Then she says "So I'm going to call the police to arrest you. I don't want you to ever do this again. You have have a future. I would be doing you a disservice to let you get away with this." I think her words of kindness made me feel worse than any harshness could have.

About 15 minutes later a police officer walks into the office. He looked at me and says "I don't want to handcuff you. If you walk with me and promise not to run we'll not do the handcuffs." Of course I promised. After a short ride to the police station we walk into a small office. Immediately I see a friend of my family. Now I want to die. He looks at me with that fatherly face. That face that's worse than a spanking. He said all the things any good family friend would say. Then he called my grandmother to come and get me. 

No, I didn't get put in a jail cell. I didn't get put in hand cuffs. I did ride in the back of a police car and I did get hit with a fine. You bet your bottom dollar I never stole again. I really thought the lady was going to let me go. I thought just maybe I would just get a slap on the hand. Nope... Of course looking into my grandmothers eyes of disappointment was heart breaking.

That was a crazy moment in my life. I meet all types of people every day. Some people are changed by God's love yet we think they are perfect. They have it all together and have never had issues like us. Then there are people we turn our noses up at. Not realizing what God has done or is doing in their lives. I may have fallen in either of those categories in peoples minds or eyes at different stages of my life. I'm just imperfect me. Learning to accept God love and grace. Learning my past doesn't define me. I'm learning from it. I"m maturing. I'm growing. What's your story? What has happened that you don't mind sharing that was a crazy time in your life that you learn from today?