Yesterday I was out ALL day doing more Christmas shopping. I usually do hit the stores last minute, but this year I had more to finish up than usual.
At the same time the last minute shopping is going on, the collections for the local charity is also happening. We put what we want to donate on the curb and the truck comes around to pick it up; usually within a day. On my way out of the house for the third time in the day, I passed by a house down the street that had some great stuff on their curb. Really great stuff. Didn't even look like it needed to be disposed of.
Initially when I had seen it, I stopped to look at it thinking "oooh, that's cool" but then saw the sign on it that it was for the charity pickup. When I got back to the house, I told my mother about the two great items I saw and she said, "Well, just take them."
"I can't take them, Ma." I said.
"Sure you can. It's not like they're going to see you. They're in the house."
"Ma. The stuff is right in front of their house. Of course they'll see me!" I answered.
"Well, they're giving it away anyway." she said.
"Yeah, to a CHARITY." Emphasis on the word charity.
"Well, it's just one thing. They'll never know."
"Mom, I can't really believe that you're telling me to steal from a charity. At Christmastime, no less. What's wrong with you??"
She laughed at the ridiculousness of her suggestion and said again in a volume she didn't think I'd hear, "But they'd never know. You could be a charity."
"But I'm not. It's cool stuff, but I don't need it. I'd consider taking it if it were trash day, but not on charity day. That's all I need is for St. Vincent de Paul to catch me taking their stuff. Two days before Christmas. No thanks."
So I drove by a few more times, still coveting their great trash, but resisted stopping. By the time I got home, it was gone.
That turned out to be a good thing, because I think the cover of darkness may have been a little too much for me to resist.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
1 YEAR AGO: The Team Finally Takes A Rest
2 YEARS AGO: The Night Before Christmas And All Through The House
3 YEARS AGO: The Only Visible Flames Came From The Candles On The Altar
4 YEARS AGO: Tonight’s The Night, People
2 comments:
I hope that you are kidding about the cover of dark! Merry Christmas!
Ha ha ha!
What a great story! I think it's so funny that your mom was insistant that it wasn't a big deal for you to snag the goodies.
I mean, in the grand scheme, I'm sure it wouldn't matter if you'd taken what you wanted, but it would have mattered to YOU!
Merry Christmas -- may your heart be filed with GLEE!
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