Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Being cool at what cost?

Image hosted by Photobucket.comOh my, this is the 3rd post today.... I guess I'm just full of witty, exciting things to talk about.

It's been hot here. Brutal, mind boggling, soak your underwear hot and we broke down and put our A/C in. I hate putting in the A/C before August. What a bunch of wimps we are. Can't take a little face melting heat??? However, this year G wanted to get a new (bigger & better!) one for the livingroom, so off to a big boxstore (to remain nameless) we went to buy one. We also pick up some other items while we are there..... 800 dixie cups, 360 pieces of plastic silverware, 4 cans of Deepwoods Off....you know, the essentials. Image hosted by Photobucket.com We load the 400lb LIGHTWEIGHT! 18,000 btu! QUIET! unit and head for the checkout. "Can you handle this?" I ask him. "I have to go pee." "Sure" he replies. So off I go to do my business. Coming out of the bathroom I decide to get an iced tea at the kiosk, so I holler over to G "Do you want one?" He nods, I pay and turn around to get the drinks and he's gone. I mean G is gone. No sign of him anywhere. I didn't know he could move that fast. "WTF??" I am thinking. "Where'd he go?"

I head out to the parking lot and he's loaded the car and looking around like a man being watched. Uh oh, I'm thinking, this doesn't look good. Sure enough he says "get in the car we've got to go. I start to ask why. Dumb move "Just do it!" he says.

Driving away he has a pure evil grin on his face and passes me the check out slip. They didn't charged us for the A/C unit. Only the cups, silverware and Deepwoods Off. OMG, we are going straight to hell. This was a $300 unit and he's just going to calmly drive away because of someone's mistake?? "We have to go back" I announce. "This isn't right. I can't do this. I feel terrible". I could see the vein starting to pulse on the side of his head. "Look Sheri, the cashier didn't charge me and the guy checking the slip and buggy at the door didn't say anything either so we ARE NOT GOING BACK. This is MY a/c". End of discussion.

I put my bathrobe on and took a picture of myself in front of the LIGHTWIEGHT! 18,000 btu! QUIET! unit to share with you. Don't you just love my slippers and hairdo? snark snark

So, my question to you is what would you do? Would you take it back or keep it, knowing the fires of hell might one day descend on you for doing so?

12 comments:

Tammy said...

My oh my... what a dilemma. On one hand, we have "honor your husband". On the other hand "Thou shalt not steal". If you really were the lady in the bathrobe in the picture (snark, snark!!!) I would go with door #1 but you are not. You are a 21st century woman who knows right is right. If I were you, I'd go pay for it, whether he likes it or not. But then, it might be "hell on earth" (and that coming from a pastor...) to live with G if you do... How much help am I?????

Sandi said...

Keep it and enjoy it, but then I have the same genes, so I probably think the same.
They didn't charge you so it is FREE!!!

Melody said...

I agree with Sandy....Keep it and enjoy it. Just think how many times you have been OVERCHARGED for things....do you go back and complain? Do you get your money back? Live a little!!!!!

Tom said...

I'd have to say I'd have gone back and paid for it. Now, had they not charged for the cups (you know, something closer to $20) I probably wouldn't have even noticed and I'd say go with it. But a $300 mistake is a huge one, and one which could potentially get someone fired.

But then after my high-school stealing days I've pretty much moved on and try to set everything right (yes, as sad as it is, I have brought to the checkouts attention that they missed one yogurt out of 12, and the thought I was nuts for even mentioning it :) ).

Peace.

Sue said...

Keep it! Big box store, they will never miss it. If I had bought it at my local hardware store, I would have said something, but also the clerk there is more on the ball. Enjoy! If it wasn't on the slip, and the guy at the door missed it, they won't get in trouble either! I am such a rebel!

Willow said...

Oooh, you burnin' in Hayle....

(Lucky for me, I don't believe in such a place.)

Anonymous said...

What a dilemma!
Practical question: What if it breaks down? Would you/your husband take it back and demand an exchange?
Good luck with the decision. No matter what, you must enjoy it!
Hugs

Spirit Of Owl said...

Give over! What is the problem?? Keep the damn money!!! If you get guilt pangs use the money to buy a ton of chocolate ice-cream to comfort yourself with.

Thanks for entering the freakin green elf short competition! :)

Cindy said...

Hmmm... I posted a comment yesterday and it seems to have disappeared.

Anyway, I said to call the store and tell them what happened. They will probably be so embarrassed that they will let you keep it and it would clear your mind.

So, what was the door check out lady doing? I swear they don't do anything but check my cart to see what I bought. They never check the receipt against my stuff!

Melody said...

You've been tagged...YOU'RE WELCOME

The Complimenting Commenter said...

I think I would go back. But I like that you tried. A very entertaining post. I hope you stay cool either way.

Sleeping Mommy said...

Before I married my husband? I would have been wracked by guilt by something that expensive. Now? Not so much.

I'm not going to judge you or your husband either way. It's definitely tempting to just let it go though. 300 dollars is a lot of money to some of us. It's not that much to the "big box" store.