When I was about five years old, my mom took me along to TG&Y, a five and dime store we used to have around here. She let me wander around while she looked at material and patterns. A couple of aisles over, there was a large glass case, full of different kinds of candy, popcorn and other snacks, like you'd see at See's. "I'll have a pound of licorice. please," and the lady would put some in a paper sack with a scoop and weigh it for you. The end of the case contained a bin of circus peanuts, you know, the candy that's shaped like a peanut, made of bright orange marshmallow, and incongruously tastes like bananas. I remember standing and looking at them for the longest time, and then I noticed that the end of the case was right on the aisle. The back of it was open. I could reach right in there and help myself. I moved to the end of the case, waited until I thought no one was looking, and slowly reached in.....I was concentrating so hard, I never noticed the saleslady until she grabbed my wrist, and yelled "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING YOUNG LADY!!!" She marched me over to my mother, still with a circus peanut clutched in my grubby fingers. I don't really remember what she looked like, only that she was large and old and terrifying (to a five-year old). I was mortified and in tears; my mother was grim and angry, and made me apologize to the lady and promise her I would never do it again. She was mollified - I don't remember the consequences when I got home, but I probably got a spanking.
And that was the end of my criminal career. Today when I noticed that personnel shorted me some hours of CTO, I also realized that three Saturday holidays were still showing up on my pay stub. I checked my time sheet and found that I had already taken them (to be honest, they were from three years ago, and I couldn't remember whether I had or not). I called personnel and notified them of both their errors. She thanked me for being honest, and most people would have just let that slide by. I know, had I not, it would've come back to bite me somehow.
I'll tell you a secret. I still have a weakness for that crappy candy. Someone brought some home tonight, and damned if I haven't snuck back there and eaten a quarter of the bag!
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