Just Another Day in the Land of Zion

Sister Cindy (aka get-along-home) once made a trip to the store, only to become involved in a chain of events that merit recounting.

Cindy and her friend Mike were visiting the local grocery story and were met at the door by a couple of Mexican kids. (I’m sure the fact that they were Mexican has nothing to do with anything, but when Cindy was telling the story, she added that detail.) The kids were selling incense. Cindy dislikes kids almost entirely, and of course passed by them by either ignoring them or giving them a sharp reply. She went on in to do her shopping, setting her cell phone in the front part of the basket. After leaving the store, she looked and looked for her cell phone, but to no avail. She hadn’t seen it since she’d been in the store. She returned to the store and asked if anyone had turned it in as lost. They said, “Nope.” She began devising in her mind that “those Mexican kids” had taken it! (At this point in her story, I was sure she could not be seriously thinking that they were thieves just because they were Mexican ~ and yes, the correct word is Hispanic, but that’s not the word Cindy uses. Seriously, though… I’m sure there were many people in the store who could be suspect as well…) Well, Cindy’s friend Mike had an old cell phone that had been used via the same service provider. Cindy called the provider right away and had the service transferred to the other phone. Almost immediately the phone rang. It was a woman speaking Spanish. Cindy asked if she was looking for her son. She said, “Yes, I was calling him back. He called me from this number.” Cindy said, “Well that’s because he stole my phone and I want it back.” The woman pauses and says, “Is there a reward?” Cindy: “A reward? Are you kidding? Your son STOLE my phone!”
Woman: “Well I’ll get your phone back to you if you give me a reward.”
Cindy: “Okay fine. I’ll meet you at such and such a place… at such and such a time.”
Cindy proceeded to call the police and ask them to accompany her at the meeting place. The police kept at a distance, just to be sure the woman gave Cindy the phone. I suppose if she did, then all would be well. Cindy and Mike approached the woman together. She had two small boys with her. When she asked Cindy where her reward was, Cindy said, “I am not giving you a reward, you silly woman.” The woman said, “But… but… but… my little ones here need the money.” Mike interrupted, “Hey lady, you wanna know what your reward is? See those cops over there? They won’t arrest you. How’s that?”
So off they all went, going their own separate ways. No shit. True story.