Today's Encounter with Thieves

An interesting old mug shot from the Jane Thompson
AKA Gordon by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museum

This morning I was in the garden department of a local "big box store".  I was wandering inside amongst the live plants and could hear and see two women outside through the thick foliage.  The thick plants were all that separated us when I heard one say to the other, "Won't-che git ye a yeller 'un."  I kinda smile a little to myself when I hear this dialect around here.  My smile soon turned to a grimace when I realized the woman were stealing plants!  Their car was pulled up next to the sidewalk and they were making a haul.  I realize sometimes you pre-pay such as when you get mulch, etc.  It seemed evident to me these two characters had not prepaid and had no intention of paying.  Imagine this in broad and bright Sunday morning sunlight!  I went inside the actual store building and mentioned to the garden department cashier what I had witnessed and she said no one had come through to pre-pay.  She summons another employee to go outside and check on the matter.

Meanwhile, I walk through the store and have to go to the front lobby.  I glanced outside and see the two thieves have driven down to another large plant display and are still loading it up.  I am not kidding when I tell you the trunk was open and the back seat was full of plants!  There was no sign of the garden department guy.  I reentered the store and repeated my story to a male greeter.  I go to get my cart and the greeter reenters the store but by this time the thieves had made their getaway. 

I am a little jittery after witnessing this stealing. The greeter told me last year the "shrinkage" (STOLEN GOODS) amounted to over $890,000 from that store alone.  He said the employees were rewarded with a pizza party for keeping the number lower than the previous year.  I was astonished!  He also shared that it was a hassle with the court dates and the employees having to take off from work to testify that it is easier to just let the shoplifters go. Sigh, sigh.

After shopping my plan was to put the cold items in the cooler, go to the gym and work out and then head home. I realized I had forgotten my card to swipe at the gym to open the door.  About five minutes later on my way home a car was exiting off the interstate, I was very aware that he looked as though he was not going to stop.  He did not stop and yield, he pulled right in front of me and then crossed over to the other lane!  I had heard on the radio a few days ago that more red lights are run on Memorial Day weekend than any other time of the year.

By this time I had experienced just too much of the world for one bright sunny morning.  I forgot about working out and decided to just stay home.  Surely I can escape some of the world's perils by just staying in my little world here at home ... alone with Clint, the birds, my art and books.