Did he really think no one was going to notice?
All content has been edited for clarity.
Doing The Right Thing When Someone Is Watching
“I was standing in line to check out. There were three other people ahead of me. A woman at the front of the line pulled out her wallet to pay. As she slid out her credit card, I noticed a $20 bill fall to the floor. I was about to say something, but then the man behind her kneeled down. I was sure he was retrieving it for her. Instead, he pretended to tie his shoe, picked it up, and, with quick glances around, stood up and slid it into his pocket.
A few seconds passed as I was shocked by what I just witnessed. Apparently, nobody else did notice, so I decided to say something.
I suddenly found myself saying, loudly so everyone heard, ‘Are you SERIOUSLY going to take that lady’s money?!’
The lady at the front turned to me and saw who I was looking at. I could feel the eyes around us do the same. It got quiet. I swear there was a solid five seconds where we just stared at each other. Then, he took the bill out of his pocket and handed it back to the lady.
He said, ‘Sorry, I saw it when I tied my shoe. I thought it was mine.’
She took it back with a quick ‘Thanks’ and wheeled her cart towards the exit. The man only had a few things in his handbasket, so he quickly finished paying and left.
When I got to the register, the cashier started with the typical pleasantries and asked, ‘What was that about?’
‘His shoes weren’t even untied,’ I said with a smirk.
The cashier just laughed and said, ‘I’m happy you saw that.’
Inside, I was quietly preparing myself for a confrontation. I figured this guy might hold a grudge. He looked the type, with the stare he gave me. I finished paying and wheeled my stuff to the exit. My situational awareness was cranked up. I got to my car and unloaded, put the cart away, and left without incident. I even paid attention to any cars that might be following me home.
Thankfully, nothing happened.”
~
