Monday, August 5, 2019

PUNKED


It was a normal grocery shopping day.  I usually shop a couple of times a week so I don't get loaded down with bags.  If I divide the bill up by 2 or 3 trips, it doesn't seem so painful.  It is also a way to add steps to my fitness band in the comfort of air conditioning. I always take the long way around the store.

I do like to check myself out if I don't have a loaded cart. I pack my groceries better than the clerks do and I am gentler with the bread, bananas and eggs. 

As I finished ringing up my purchases, I tucked the prescriptions I had just picked up in with the bread and turned back to the machine to finish the transaction with my debit card.  I was square with the machine and my cart was behind me. 

The receipt slowly rolled out the slot.  I grabbed it and turned around to put it in the bread bag also.

Holy Crap!!!  My cart was gone.  Not moved but gone.  There were only a few people besides me self checking out and they were on the other side of the area. None of their bags looked like mine. A bit of panic set in.

Knowing my running days are over, I still cranked up mentally to run out the store and chase the thief into the parking lot to tackle that creep. I was livid and knew I had to hurry.

Then I saw her.  A friend of mine, that I had no idea was in the store also, peeked out from behind a partition.  She was leaning on my cart with a huge smile on her face.

It took a minute for me to go from the angry desire to tackle the creep, to huge relief, then finally letting the sheepish grin take over my face. I had thoroughly been punked. She said my expression when I saw her was worth it.

While we got some giggles over her sneakiness, it made me realize that this could have been a real theft. It would have been easy enough to pull off.  They could have wheeled my cart back through the store and out the garden center while I'd be running around the parking lot.  I'd have never found them.

My friend made me realize how easily that prank theft could have been a reality. Guess who will always keep an eye on her cart from now on??

Did you ever have a prank pulled on you that turned out to be a good lesson?

44 comments :

  1. I would not have been so forgiving if someone did that to me. And what if someone had seen her do it and thought she really was stealing your cart of paid groceries?

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    1. Jean,
      I too wondered why no one said anything when she walked off but since she is about my age, they might have thought we were together.

      Delete
  2. There have been a few times when someone pulled a prank like that on me, but I sure didn't appreciate it. I am somewhat of a grumpy old lady these days. That was a good lesson, and I'm glad no thief took your stuff! :-)

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    1. Djan,
      I don't think any of us are thrilled when it happens, it takes a minute or two to get over the shock. It has made me more careful though.

      Delete
  3. Oh, dear. I have not been pranked like that, but I have had supermarket misadventures involving lost carts -- a kind of pranking myself. Or, let's be truthful, my own absentmindedness.

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    1. Olga,
      I have had those instances too especially when I use their restroom and when I come out, am not sure where I left it.

      Delete
  4. I’ve never been fond of pranks.... probably wouldn’t get mad, but wouldn’t appreciate it. But yes, do keep an eye on your cart. I have seen carts in the aisles with purses left in them - and no one around???

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    1. Rian,
      I know. I can't believe the number of women who leave their purses sitting in their carts while they wander up and down the aisle? And usually they are open. I guess if they still do it, they haven't been robbed yet.

      Delete
  5. That was quite a prank. It was amusing, but I don't think I would've laughed about it at all. Interesting lesson there.

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    1. robin,
      It took me the three phases to get to a smile. Anger, relief, then smile. I am not a person who ever pulls pranks.

      Delete
  6. No don't think so. But, my approach to the self checkout is... it is cheating someone out of a job. Since I am not being paid to ring up groceries, why would I be doing it for free. And, cheat someone out of a paycheck. That's just my take.

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    1. Latane,
      I am sure many think as you do. I haven't noticed any fewer cashiers but smaller lines and less wait time. Plus they have hired two girls who manage the self check out station to help the confused and to watch for theft. So far, so good.

      Delete
  7. I'm glad it was your friend...but oh my, I can imagine the shock you felt initially at the thought the cart had been taken. Yikes!

    I can't think of a prank that taught me a lesson. And I can't remember the last time anyone tried to pull on me. :p

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    1. Eileen,
      It was a mixture of disbelief and anger along with shock. I never pull pranks and rarely have them pulled on me. Guess that is why I fell so hard for it.

      Delete
  8. She's lucky you took that so well. I am not certain how I would feel after I cleaned my drawers and calmed down.

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    1. Margaret,
      Ha,ha good thing I had just used the restroom or I might have needed a change also.

      Delete
  9. That's the kind of thing my older daughter would do and I wouldn't be amused. Then I would have been told off for not having a sense of humour. I have to admit I always keep an eye on my trolley, especially if my Granddaughter's sitting in it! :D

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    1. Joey,
      It does seem more like a prank a youngster would play and this woman is my age. But I am doing better and love that you keep a close eye on your cart with that adorable granddaughter in it. Things can happen so quickly.

      Delete
  10. Friend, or no friend, I would be truly P'o!! No pain, no gain...not in this case.

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    1. Hootin' Anni,
      Luckily it only went on for a few seconds or I wouldn't have been so forgiving. The relief washed away my anger.

      Delete
  11. After much thought, I have to say...not funny!

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    1. joeh,
      Totally agree when it happened. Fortunately I saw her grinning face just a few seconds after I noticed it gone. It did teach me to be careful which I practiced today in the same store.

      Delete
  12. I'm glad you are still friends and can laugh about it. I would not have appreciated it at all. I am actually quite aware how how easy it would be to be victimized and I try to be watchful without being fearful.

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    1. Linda,
      If she had hidden for a while and let me stew, our friendship would have taken a hit. However it was all in just a few seconds. I really am more careful thanks to her.

      Delete
  13. I had lunch today with a friend and thought about this post. Someone walked away with her cart and purse and three days later, it has not shown back up so she can only assume it was stolen. At to treat it as such right from the beginning because of credit cards, phone and license.

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    1. Jean,
      Oh my, that is the worst case scenario. I always want to say something to women who leave their purses in their carts and often walk away.

      Delete
  14. A prank pulled on me? No. But I once pulled an April Fool's Day prank on my brother that taught ME a lesson. Over fifty years ago and I still feel guilty for the way I made him cry.

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    1. River,
      When pranks really affect a person then they are no longer funny. And if you hurt someone, it stays with you as yours has. Have you made it up to him?

      Delete
  15. P.s. I don't think your friend's prank was at all funny.

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    1. River,
      Fortunately, she did not let it go on to give me a real scare. As I turned towards the door is when I saw her grinning at me. Relief at not losing my groceries wiped out the anger.

      Delete
  16. Well, she taught you a good lesson- never turn your back on your buggy! I don't self check, but mostly because I always have a full buggy. I hate WM with a passion, but as I tell my sister... sometimes it's the highlight of my week!

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    1. Terri,
      Ha ha about Walmart. It is kind of the social hub of this small town.

      Delete
  17. I have never had one pulled on me, but we sure pulled one on a friend of my sister. It was back on the 70's when macrame was the thing. She had made all kinds of things and had them hanging on her porch. We knew she was gone and went and got everything..she called the police then called my sister and told her,and said said she was going to press charges no matter who took. My sister had her come over...we sure had a laugh over that.

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    1. Rose,
      Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Good thing you caught her before she pressed charges.

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  18. Your post taught me a lesson I needed, too!

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    1. LC,
      Never hurts to keep one hand or at least an eye on your cart.

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  19. Dear Patti, I can only remember two pranks pulled on me in my life. 1) for my april fool's birthday, mom made a sandwich for me with mayo and cardboard between the bread slices. What a surprise when I bit in! 2) while I was in a ping-pong tourney in high school and avoiding watching the semi-final match that would lead to the final in which I was going to play, a fellow student tapped my shoulder and said, "Why don't you sit down, Dolores. You're getting really excited. You need to save your strength!" As I watched the ball pass over the night, I began to squat down to the chair, only i wasn't there. She pulled it out under me and I landed on the floor. That hurt my behind but I think even my feelings more. Peace.

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    1. Dee,
      Yikes. Sounds like she was trying to take you out of the competition. Reminds me of Tonya Harding.

      Delete
  20. My mother loved nothing more than to pull a prank on someone. As a result, I detest pranks of any kind. I don't even like most surprises. So anyone who was really my friend would know not to do something like that to me. As far as pranks go, I think most of them are meant to embarrass someone or to make them feel foolish.

    I avoid the self-check because the "voice" is irritating. The scanners don't work all the time so I often have to wait for an attendant.

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    1. Carolyn,
      You are so right about the intent of most pranks. They are usually only funny to the giver not so much the receiver.

      Delete
  21. Perhaps keeping a hand on the cart.

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    1. Mage,
      A hand or even an eye will do. Lesson learned.

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  22. OMG. That was some practical joke. Funny to hear you tell it but I'm not so sure I would have taken it so well. I'm just not a fan of playing jokes on people and thank goodness none of my friends are. I know it was meant to be a little bit of fun but scaring the S&^T out of me would not be fun. Glad you were able to recover so fast and accept the joke in the nature it was intended.

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  23. You are a good, kind and forgiving friend. I would have been a bit irritated and probably told my friend they scared the .... out of me.

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