Shopping Cart Honesty

Sometimes it is expensive to be honest.

I had to return a few items at Walmart today.

I hate to return things.

While we were there, I picked up some merchandise that we needed for our upcoming vacation. Due to the long duration that we will be sitting in the Looser Cruiser before arriving at our final destination in a few weeks, I felt that it would be beneficial to provide Mr. Smiley with a few toys of the musical sort of nature. . . .something that might entertain him. Something that he has never played with before--you know, the kind of toys that I have always stated that I would ONLY purchase for children when I wanted to drive their parents nuts or I didn't like said child's parents.

(Hottie Hubby, I really do love you.)

After making our noisy selection, and mentally wondering the ramifications of not providing educational open-ended wood toys for my 1-year old, we proceeded to purchase the items in the shopping cart, this is an important detail or distinction. As usual, I received several comments about having 3 children, especially the fact that I have 3 boys.

Out the door we went. At this point, my darling boys began to pester each other, sitting on the other's foot, squishing another against the cart, grabbing the favorite book as they clamor into the Loser Cruiser. Everyone erupts in screams and I am wondering why I stopped in the first place, only imagining what a 12 hour car ride is going to be like.

And then I notice.

There sat those two toys that require batteries and will probably lead to the demise of my sanity. They weren't in a Walmart plastic bag (Yes, I forgot my reusable bags). They were surprisingly quiet and restful on the bottom rack of the shopping cart. Crap.

To be honest, I toyed with just grabbing them and running. The thought of unloading these grouchy human beings and placing them back in the designated prison called a shopping cart, was not appealing. But I knew that I would be racked with guilt. The other intelligent idea I had was to leave them on the shopping cart and drive away without purchasing them.

But that hardly seemed responsible.

So, I did what an honest person should do. The boys were loaded back into the prison on wheels. The not-so-friendly-greeter who is supposed to be friendly, once again asked me if I had a return. I mumbled under my hot breath, "No. I didn't pay for these items." Only to realize that this would create more confusion, questions, and eat up time. I kept going, hoping that his hearing aide would catch my comment once I hit the check-out stand.

The lady I skidded up to, thought I was just dropping the colorful toys off because I was too lazy to walk back to the toy section. After explaining the second time, I said, "NO!!! I'm being honest. I could have driven away from here because NO ONE noticed the toys under my cart. I need to buy these. I want them."

She then became irritated because whoever checked me out, should have noticed the items under my cart. And someone in the optical department should have noticed, because we bought something there on the way out. And the grouchy greeter should have noticed. And someone spying on my circus from their secret camera location should have noticed. But no one did!

Well, I do know that someone saw.

Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:24)

God.

And if He didn't see, which I know that there is no chance of that, a very curious almost 5 year old might have asked why the toys were still on the bottom rack.

I'm glad I did the right thing.

But still, I want to whine and say, "Don't I get an earthly reward? Walmart, I saved you money and I even put my shopping cart in the carousel!"

Ahhh . . . the joys of motherhood and the events that happen with kids in the shopping cart.

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