HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1973-12-06, Page 20444,-morroN NortiowoRp, THURSDAY, DECEMBER ma
1
RE PUT AT 1 N
WORTH HE
F
TR I N KET
Think about this. It's a familiar story these days.
There it is . a small item. It's cute. You'd like to have it. Take it to the
counter . but wait— no one's watching, and it's a small enough item.
It'll fit right in your p'ocket. You could get away with it . . . and you could
brag to your friends later. They'll probably think the while thing's funny!
But someone saw you. Or was it a special tag that trips a buzzer? What-
ever, you're being stopped. The clerk, store detective, who is he? is not
being very pleasant. He's calling you a thief, says he's going to call the
police! OK, OK, you'll pay for it. Give it back. Whatever they want, They
want to press charges.
You're at the station. Your parents are here. They keep asking why, why.
All you know, all you can think about, is the record . . you're going to
have a criminal record, Always.
Or will you? Maybe Daddy will buy your way out of this. Maybe someone
will realize you're sincerely sorry, pat you on the back, let it go this time.
No one will have to know, except your parents, and they can get over it.
But now you've stopped kidding yourself . . no one is saying it's all
right, honey, just don't do it again. No one feels sorry for you. Your parents
look more ashamed and disgusted than sympathetic.
And your friends . . how did they find out? Well, now they know .
but they aren't laughing. They aren't being very friendly, either.
It was all so easy, right? Little trinket, easy to steal. But easy to get
caught, too, and easy to get arrested, If you could only go back, live over
those few hours, you wouldn't take the chance this time. It wouldn't be worth
it , . and more than that, you'd realize that shoplifting is stealing, really
stealing. A crime. Too bad, isn't it?
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