Sarah And Mom Learn A Valuable Lesson
by Susan McGunnigle Condon

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree..."

This has been quite a week. Sarah went to Super Target to buy Zoe a birthday present last Monday. As she was looking at clothing, she suddenly noticed that her purse was missing out of her shopping cart. She ran to the manager crying. They began a storewide search and of course, called the police. Sarah stated to everyone listening that "This kind of thing would never have happened back in Boston". She asked if anyone had a cell phone she could use to call her husband - after all she could not even drive home. Her purse contained her car keys, credit cards and money. Someone said "There is a pay phone over there". Sarah replied very sarcastically "Oh, do you really think I have a quarter?" Someone handed her their cell phone. She called work and they told her that if she didn't get there she would be fired. Sarah cried even harder. The police asked her for a description of the perpetrator. Sarah said " I saw a man with long blond hair around my shopping cart". Sarah said "I am going outside to guard my car before it is stolen". She asked the policemen why they weren't getting to work to try to find the thief. She stood outside by her car glaring at the surveillance camera - pointing at it and saying in a menacing way "Why aren't you trying to find the guy who stole my purse?." Blair left work and came to pick her up. Sarah cried all of the way home. Her job called and apologized and told her she was not going to be fired - they were just stressed out when they said that. Two hours later Super Target called and said they found Sarah's purse in her cart in the bakery department where she had left it. She had accidentally taken the wrong cart. There was nothing missing from her purse. Sarah feels like she can never shop in Super Target again which is a shame because it was her favorite store.

Dad and I went to an estate sale this morning. In the kitchen was a large stack of towels. I asked the lady how much they were. She said $5.00. A lady jumped in front of me and said "I will take them". "Excuse me," I said.   'I was the one who asked about the towels. I am the one who should buy them." She said "We saw them at the same time and I got here first". Dad yelled at her "You jumped right in front of my wife - she should be the one to get them."  I said "They are my towels - I asked about them - not you!" She answered very meekly: "I'm sorry - I don't want to cause any trouble". By this time a crowd had gathered around us and was watching our little interaction. The lady left and I picked up the towels and started looking at them. "I don't even like these towels" I thought.  I found the lady in the other room and told her she could have the towels. I also told her I was sorry I jumped down her throat. "Thank you so much" she said. "We just moved into a new house and have no towels". I felt like dirt.

Sarah and I have both been humbled this week -