Had You Ever Tried Shoplifting?

If yes, were you caught?
Do you know the penalty if you get caught?

It was November 28 2008, when this bizarre incident happened in my life. I am an email support agent for an electric company in TX and my shift ends at 7pm. Our office is located at Market Market Mall, so shopping spree is inevitable after work, especially during payday. Me, my boss, and two other female attractive office mates went shopping. Everything was on sale up to 70 percent off, so shopping was really fun.

We went to business attire clothing, since it was a good opportunity to buy business clothes at cheap price. So we went our separate ways to choose clothing. Men and women clothing were just next to each other and even the fitting rooms were just side by side, so we still see each other even though there were many people shopping. I picked 2 stylish yet classic looking collared shirts colored, one was plain light blue and the other one was white with blue strife in front. So I went to the fitting room and tried the two shirts. It did look good on me and for some reason I wanted my office mates confirmation that it did look good on my so I went outside the fitting room and look for them.

For some reason they were not at the location where I had seen them before I went to the fitting room, I thought they might have found clothes as well and tried them on so I checked the ladies fitting room but they were not there as well. I walk father and farther away from the business section clothing to look for them wearing the clothes I had tried on. And that was a BIG mistake.

Apparently sales lady thought I was shoplifting and went ahead to report me to the guard. They approached me and asked me to come with to their office. I was kinda confused as to why were they asking me to come with them and they said because I was shoplifting. I had told them I was not and was just looking for my friends, which was very true, but they would not believe me. I called them up only to find out that I run out of load. There were too many eyes looking at the commotion that was happening which was very embarrassing so I had no choice but to come with them. I was thinking I would just explain it to them that it was a mistake.

So I was with them to their, explaining my story, the truth that I was just looking for my friends to show them the clothes and was going to buy them. But they won't just listen. So I just pulled my wallet out to show them I had money, and was really buying the items. I got 1500 in my wallet, and the two items combined were 1000. I paid them to end the commotion and the hassle.

They were just looking with each other and won't take the money and then revealed to me the most impossible truth I would ever want to hear that time. They said, anyone who would get caught shoplifting may pay the item, however it would be twice the original price. Since the the item's original price was 800, time 2 is 1600, and then times 2 again since I got two items, they asked me to pay 3200. I was really at the edge of breaking down at that point, and was hoping that everything was just a bad joke, something like Michael B would set up for his show, but it was never a joke.

Finally, they proposed another way out. After many insults thrown at me they told me they could just take a picture of me with the items they imputed I took, post it to their hall of fame of "shoplifters", tour me to the whole mall so everybody would see the deed and discourage anyone who might be thinking of doing the same thing. I had no choice since I run out of options. I said to myself that that was just a 1 day of shame, better than me spending some days in prison which would really ruin my life forever. I had my picture taken, and hold the tarpaulin, yup tarpaulin not a placard, which says "I am a shoplifter! Hwag nyo ko tularan!" and took my task of parading myself with that tarpaulin in front and back of me. Certainly, anyone who'd see would get discouraged to shoplift.

As I was about to finish my nightmarish parade since I was about to go up to the 5th and final floor of the mall on the escaltor, I saw my officemates going down to the 4th floor, very happy chattering with each other that they seemed not aware of what had been the commotion on the escalator going up to the 5th as they were on the other escalator as they go down the 4th floor. Good for me, I thought, since I had no face to show them at the misfortune that fell upon me, I was looking at the other direction, heart pounding hard, praying that none of them look at my direction and notice me. Then I got a little relief when I passed them by without them noticing me, since I never heard anyone call my name from their direction and they were still seemed preoccupied by their chatter.

However the worse part of my nightmare was not over yet. Just right before I reached the top floor, the image of my mother suddenly appeared before me. For some reason she was also there shopping, that very same day. She was about to go down to the 4th floor when she noticed me with that tarpaulin on me, heading to the 5th floor so she did not go down and waited for me on the 5th floor to confirm if it was really me. To her dismay, just before I reached the 5th floor, she shouted my name with a curse. "PUTANG INA MONG BATA KA! NAKAKAHIYA KA! DI KITA PNALAKING GANYAN!"

Many people were already staring at me bacause of the guards that were escorting me and the stupid tarpaulin on me, and when my mother made a scene like that, everyone, as in EVERYONE, including my office mates I was preying before not to notice me, now sets their eyes on me.

I wanted to just die right there and then. I wanted the escalator to miraculously have mouth and swallow me, or a lightning to struck, or anything that would kill me instantly or teleport me to somewhere else. But ofcourse, I knew it would never ever happen. Then I reach the 5th floor, with my mother so mad at me, attacked me and slap my face over and over...

"nak, gising na... tanghali na, malalate ka na nyan sa work mo..." (^^,)
"joseph, wake up already... you'll late for work if you dont get up now... (^^,)

Are you happy?

One of my office mate asked that question. Knowing that she's kinda depressed and having financial difficulties that time, I answered her question without thinking much how I was really feeling. And I just wanted her to shut up so I could finish what I was doing.

"I must say I'm not happy nor sad." She asked why? I said, "I'm still fortunate compare to other people. I eat three times a day, some people only able to eat once, and some people are starving to death." So I asked her, "What do you think? Should I be sad?" She said I made sense, and tried to compliment me for enlightening her which I didn't care much since I just wanted to end the conversation and focus on work.

But that night, that question hunted me. I'm having financial difficulties as well, could not buy things I want to buy, I've been working for more than 3 years now but my cell phone is still that old unit that had retired a long time ago but out of necessity I forced it to still work for me, and yes I do envy those kids in school that does not have to work to get to school. I envy those lucky bastards who own N90, N95, i Phones, digicam, laptop. I envy those conio in those expensive and stylish outfit and having coffee at starbucks, coffee bean, etc. So basically, I'm sad. Who would not be?

The world is a sad place, the world is unfair. Many people strive strive and strive, yet they get nothing much, always less of what they should have earned. And the worst, there are people who are so lucky that gets it all even without effort. Injustice is everywhere, horrible things surround us. I guess this has been the situation since then that's why people are so get used to it, and even became numb of it.

But I am not. I know in myself I am not happy! Not in this kind of life, not in this kind of situation. I will devote myself to make things better. I know this is insane, but everything has been insane and everyone is insane to allow this insanity to continue to go on in our society. Yet I wish to be the most insane, for it takes insanity to drive people achieve their most insane undertakings...


(going insane... loaded up my m4a1 riffle and shoot myself... BANG!!!!!)

STAG PARTY

Last night, I went to my cousin's stag party. I've got to say that it was fun! We drank, we party, we watched strippers danced and stripped their clothes off all the way down to their thongs (wink wink wink). Taena, dapat pala di muna ako nagpaka lasing lasing hangat wala pa yung main event ng party. Yun tuloy, di ko masyadong naaninag ang magandang view at perfomance ng mga seksing stripper... ARRGGGHHHH!!!!!

For what happened last night, I learned that:

• 1st of all, don't drink too much.

• the more the merrier is not that merrier during stag party, unless you have more stripper as well. What happened was, we were too many yet we only had 2 strippers. At the same time, we had too much alcohol already by the time the they arrived, of course the strippers felt uncomfortable.

• do not invite your asshole friend, he'll just be himself, an asshole, which might ruin your party. In our case last night, he drove away the strippers. Tsk tsk tsk, he's such an ass!

• as much as possible, kontian mo lang ang invited, set up everything in your place, the sound, the alcohol, the food. Then bring 2 or 3 good looking friends with you to a bar, go fishing for hot party girls. Invite them to continue the party at your place (wink wink wink).

So let be this a lesson for all of you fellow Stallions. Kung lam nyong may ganitong event ang stag party nyo, don't drink too much until the main event is done, otherwise magsisisi kayo. Hehehe.

(sakit pa rin ng ulo...argghh!!!)

Tradegy

She had to leave her town, with mind set to find a job here in Manila. She did not mind what kind of job she might land in to, any job would do, as long as it is legal and would be able to send money to her family in the province, and spare some for her college degree. Her greatest dream? To be an alumni of La Salle.

When I first heard of her story, I was struck with admiration. Judging from what I had heard about her so far, I was so sure that she was capable of achieving her dream.

She worked as an all around helper, (katulong). She was 17 when she got here, and for a year had been sending all her earnings to her family. Then the following year, she spared half of her earnings for her schooling.

The sad part of her story started when she made this move. The family had been used to getting all her earnings and she suddenly cut it in half, they complained. It really made her sad. Then a tragedy fell upon her. Her father past away. She wanted to come home and attend to her father's funeral and her family and relatives expected she would do so. But considering the expense of coming home and the money they needed for her father's funeral, she decided not to come home. Instead, she just sent all her savings so as her father would have a decent burial. The family and relatives took it against her. They resented her.

Day after day, she cried. She was so hurt by how things turned out. She tried to reason out why she could not come home, but all she got from them were resentments. Until she could not take it anymore. She had decided to end it all.

I never had the chance to meet the girl. I just heard about her from my boss and knew her better from her suicide letter. It was a three pages letter of her bitterness, struggle and courage, written in English... It was really a heart breaking letter...

I keep wondering what she could have become, had she been able to finish school. What would have happened had her family been more understanding and supported her. Or what if she has been fortunate enough that she could pursue her dreams without having to work? I'm never gonna find out...