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March 29, 2005

HANDLING STOLEN GOODS

Tomorrow is my sister's birthday and at 2pm this afternoon, I still hadn't got her a birthday card. Not sending her a birthday card is a cardinal sin punishable with death by whinging. Concurrently, my eBay items seem to be selling quite well, including this one, which I needed to post to the winning bidder today.

So I ambled across to the Post Office opposite my workplace in search of two things - a birthday card and a cylindrical packaging tube. I selected a suitable birthday card, but couldn't find the packaging I wanted, so I joined the queue for the Post Office counter in order to enquire. I asked the lady there and she suggested I try the centre of Rickmansworth for one. 'Great', I thought as I wandered out the shop, inscribing an abusive message in the birthday card and slapping a stamp on the envelope, 'now I'm going to get negative feedback for late delivery'. I didn't have enough time to drive into Rickmansworth so I headed back to work to continue sifting through the 180 emails, 25 phone messages and knee high pile of post that awaited my return from holiday.

About an hour later, I realised that I hadn't actually paid for the birthday card at all. I was going to be on CCTV as a criminal, a wanted man whose face would be plastered on posters all over the Post Office. But worst of all, I'd just sent the stolen goods to my sister for her birthday.

I fought off the urge to shrug my shoulders and forget all about it and made the decision to go back to the shop after work and pay for the item. It's only right, it's how I was brought up and I enjoy a clear conscience. So I drove over the road after work and wandered into the shop, I collected another copy of the card and walked up to the counter.

"Hi" I said, trying to be tactful in owning up to theft "I came in earlier to buy a card, but ended up walking out without paying for it, so I'd like to pay now please". The lady smiled broadly, delighted at my honesty and she scanned the item accordingly "that's £1.69 please - you didn't want to be on Closed Circuit Television and have the police after you eh?" she replied.

I don't know why, but at this moment I thought I would try to be funny. "No, I don't want them after me again" I said, as I handed over the money. A fleeting glance as she double checked my appearance - suited and booted in my work clothes. She took the money and gave me change from a fiver. My humour clearly hadn't rubbed off, so I gave up and decided that acting mature was far more sensible.

"I gave you a tenner" I said as she handed me a load of coins. She glared at me suspiciously, her eyes piercing through mine in search of a dishonest glint. "I gave you a tenner, I promise you" I repeated, to which she reluctantly nodded and handed me the correct change. "We'll call that one all shall we?" I added with a cheeky smile as she handed over the correct change. No response, no smile, no thank you and no goodbye. Great.

So now they think I nicked a birthday card, then went back and conned them out of a fiver.

Posted by jonola14 at March 29, 2005 9:37 PM

Posted by: shunta at April 4, 2005 9:48 PM