Thievery

Once every two years or so, I make a shopping trip to Walmart.  Yesterday, Desiree accompanied me on one such excursion.

Only a few days ago, I read an article about how Walmart is considering closing some stores due to escalating (if not devastating) rates of thievery.

Interesting.  I worked on a remodel of the local Walmart a bit over twenty years ago.  At that time, the security scheme in this regard revolved almost entirely around monitoring store employees (associates in Walmart-speak).

My reason for not regularly shopping at Walmart also has to do with this.  While working within the store, I was forced to open my lunchbox for inspection by a store employee every day as I walked out the door to go home.

I don’t steal and I don’t appreciate any doubt about that.  I prefer to shop where I am a trusted quantity.    

Yesterday, when Desiree and I landed at a checkout line, we found ourselves behind a somewhat scruffy fifty-something woman.  When the associate, a woman with beautiful black hair (which I always notice), scanned a tightly rolled blanket, something caught her attention.  Reaching inside the roll, she fished-out an aerosol can of air freshener hidden inside the blanket.  “Is this yours,” the associate asked the shopper.

“No,” responded the woman, appearing much less surprised than you might imagine. 

The associate, ever the professional, placed the can on the station counter nearby and continued checking items.

When we advanced to the register, I asked the clerk about the air freshener.   “The blanket felt heavy to me,” she responded.

“Thievery,” I said.  “That’s what that is.”

As the checker scanned our goods, she asked Desiree if she was Asian.

“I am from the Philippines,” Desiree told her.

“Me too!” the woman exclaimed.  Soon, she and Desiree exchanged conversation in rapid-fire Tagalog.  I stared at the can of air fresher on the nearby counter, wondering how the world has come to this.    

—Mitchell Hegman