I got home and noticed that I wasn't charged for Evan's coat. I whimsically updated my Facebook status that I felt guilty for this. Several of my friends and family members urged me to take it back and pay for it, and to "do the right thing" and set an example for Evan. Thing was...this Target was 45 minutes away...I had gone to the one near Linda's work.
My conscience and with everyone hounding me got the best of me, and I called the Target I was at and explained that I bought several items, but wasn't charged for Evan's coat. The people there told me that I could bring it back in and pay for it. I explained I lived 45 mins away and they told me that I could take it to any Target. I then realized that in my sleep-deprived absent-mindedness, I had forgotten Evan's cereal...therefore another trip out to the store was due. So I went to the Target that's closer to home for the forgotten cereal...with the "stolen" merchandise in hand.
Got to the Guest Services desk and explained what happened this morning to the clerk. She told me that I had to go back to the Overland Park Target since it had been in their inventory. I told the clerk that that store had said I could take it back to any Target. We went back and forth on this for a few minutes, then she called over a manager. The manager explained again that I had to go back to the Overland Park store with the "lost" merchandise since it was missing from their stock. I explained once again to the manager that I was told I could bring it back to any store to correct their error. She finally agreed to just ring me up and let me pay for this coat.
And not so much as even a "thank you" or "we appreciate what you did"...even though I had to waste an hour to and from (the closer Target to our house is still quite a drive away).
But I'm setting an example for Evan, right? By "doing the right thing"? I have to keep telling myself that. I really don't feel any better for wasting part of my afternoon with this, when I had so much stuff to get done at home. If it hadn't been for Evan's cereal that I forgot, then I probably would have just chalked it up as "hey, their error...I got a free coat out of the deal!" Oh well. I felt like I was stuck in a part-"Raising Arizona"-part-"Seinfeld" scene.
Semi-similar thing happened a few weeks back. I was at the Italian Market and unintentionally put Owen's blanket over my meat in the seat section of the cart. I didn't realize it until we got out to the car. It was busy, it was raining, Owen was screaming. But it was about $40 in meat, so I went back. It's the right thing. Seriously. In 10 years, Evan's going to ask, "did YOU ever steal something from a store?" and You can reply truthfully no. I hope :)
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