Today's Lesson

Sometimes life lessons just smack you in the face when you least expect them. I guess that's how they become lessons.

Last month, Gabe got a $20 bill for his birthday. This may be the largest "cash form" of money he has been handed. He was told to spend it, so he hung on to it and I promised him a trip to Wal-Mart or Target was in his future. Today was the day. We loaded up & headed to Wally World for a couple of things. Granted, I do love me some Wal-Mart, but I am a fan of Target' and it is about 3 miles and one less mountain closer. That said, we go to Wal-Mart about 3 times a year. I like to travel over the mountain to the "green Wal-Mart". Are you with me? There a blue Wal-Marts & green Wal-Marts in these parts, and the green ones are much nicer. Stained concrete flooring & even some wood floored areas. I think there are even crystal chandeliers! okay, maybe not, but trust me, it makes your Wal-Marting much more pleasurable:)! When we pulled in, Gabe said, "Is this the Wal-Mart we always come to?" I said, "yes", and he said..., "oh this is Great! They have Low Prices Everyday!". Ahh reading. I noticed the slogan under the big sign. I just giggled, and said, Yeah, it is great, huh?

I glanced back at his $20 folded into a neat little square, and my last thought was that I needed to put his money in my purse. We made a bee-line to the toy section. He quickly decided on a couple of cool Bionicle sets. We looked around a bit more, then headed for bananas and sunscreen. After all, it is 1:30 and I have a 14 month old knocking on nap time.

Fast forward to check-out:
"Gabe, do you have your money?"
"No!?"
"Did you loose it??!!"
"I think so!" (tearfully)
At this point I remove all items from the counter & place them in a large bin I was buying and told the cashier we had to go look for our lost $20 birthday money.

It was awful. I was angry. I was sad. I was sick for the little guy. I mean after all, I should have taken the cash. What was I thinking letting him be responsible for actual money in Wal-Mart??!!

After frantically searching up & down the aisles and behind every Bionicle box, I found an associate in the area & asked if anyone had found $20. I explained that it was birthday money. Of course, she said no, but I saw pain in her eyes for this little guy. She immediately went & called the service desk to no avail. I told Gabe (because admittedly, I was angry) that we would have to put back the toys due to our irresponsibility and have to wait until next year when he could get more birthday money. ......okay, I know, go ahead and call me horrible names and report me to the Department of Human Resources. I swear that associate (who was still taking this all in) burned a hole in me with her laser eyes. I could smell my own flesh burning! I took him by the hand and we marched out of the toy section headed for the bananas & sunscreen with empty hope of finding a twenty peeking out from somewhere.

(The scene is now a very tired toddler at 2:00, a little boy wanting to cry his eyes out, but too scared because he knows he messed up. And a mom who wanted to cry her eyes out in sorrow for her boy and be angry at the same time, but confused because she knows she too messed up.)

After exhausting our efforts, we made one last ditch effort to the back of the store where we were approached by the same lady who now thinks I am the anti-Christ, and two other Wal-Mart associates. The page was overhead, "WOULD THE LITTLE BOY WHO LOST HIS BIRTHDAY MONEY PLEASE RETURN TO TOYS". Someone had found the money she said with a huge relieved smile. (I think she thought she might be saving him from a beating later) My first thought was that she had pulled a twenty from her pocket just to make his day. But she put out her hand and there was that same twenty, folded in a square, so I knew it was his. Bless you Wal-Mart lady!

Okay, so you have passed your judgement, and in the end it all worked out. Now let me just say that if I had gone ahead and bought the toy, what message would that send? Hey, twenties grow on trees! No problem! I'll just throw another twenty your way! I was not going to do that! ......However, who's to say that the Bionicles may have mysteriously arrived in the mail sometime in the next few weeks from say Aunt Lisa or Aunt Andrea??? (I'm not all bad)