I Was Scared Straight
@BelleStarr (61102)
United States
August 23, 2016 7:44am CST
I want to start by saying I am not proud of this incident, it does not show me in a particularly good light but I think the end justifies telling the story.
I was 20 years old, had been married 2 years, had a small child and got a very good job at a local warehouse. I was bonded and it was the best job I had had to date. I loved it. I moved up from being a stocker, to a packer and then a puller in 2 months. I was on a roll.
It was an auto parts warehouse. They had these cute little tins of handsoap, really cute. I decided I wanted one. I put one in my pocket and then into my purse. Yes, I stole it. It was about $1 value but I took something that wasn't mine.
Later in the afternon, my name was annouced over the intercom. I was called into the office. My short life pasted before my eyes in that short walk. I was going to be fired over a $1 soap that I didn't really need. I died a thousand deaths as I waited.
When the boss came in it had nothing what so ever to do with the soap.. I can't for the life of me remember what it was about but the relief was palpable. I vowed to never, ever, ever take anything that wasn't mine again. I promised God that if I survived this, I would be honest forever and I have been.
I didn't put the soap back, I was too scared but I never used it. I always feel as if I owe them for that soap. I only worked there for 3 months, I got pregnant and left but I never forgot. Honesty is the best policy!!
23 people like this
19 responses
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
23 Aug 16
Yes I guess that is the perfect way to sum it up, and no bubbles!! lol
1 person likes this
@CinnamonGrl (7084)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
23 Aug 16
Same thing with me only I was 13.I stole a Beatles magazine. After I walked out of the store I was so scared I got caught. I didn't put it back though, either, just didn't take anything again. I don't think it takes most people much guilt to learn their lesson. A little guilt can go a long way lol.
5 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
23 Aug 16
lol I am so glad I am not alone, and it says something doesn't it that after so many years it is so stuck in our memories.
2 people like this
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
23 Aug 16
Lesson learned and since you never did it again it showed you were truly sorry for what you did. Carrying the guilt from it is not going to help though, if you asked God for forgiveness then forgive yourself for it.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
24 Aug 16
I know God has forgiven me, and you are right, I need to forgive myself. It was a serious lapse in judgement but I have come a long way since then.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
23 Aug 16
That was wise of you the guilt has haunted me for over 40 years. I think I have done my purgatory for sure lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121503)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 16
There was one time when my brother and I were kids that my dad had to go to a meeting one night, and he took us along with him. We had to sign in on a sheet on a table when we entered the building, and the pen that was there for people to use to sign was one of the most elegant and beautiful pens I had ever seen. Since we were the last ones to arrive, after I signed in I put the pen in my pocket to keep. It was the first time I ever stole anything in my life, and for the next two weeks I went through living hell over the guilt I felt for stealing the pen. I finally broke down and told my dad. Being the man of integrity that he was, he loaded me up in the car, drove me back to where that meeting was held, and made me go in and give the pen back and apologize for stealing it.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
24 Aug 16
@moffittjc lol Not rose or lavender!! lol
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
24 Aug 16
That was the correct thing to do. When we were kids we were staying at t motel in Vermont and went into all the rooms and took the soap, wait a minute I am seeing a pattern here. Any way mom caught us and made us put it back. Evidently I can't resist soap and I still love bars of soap and my friends buy them for me all the time. No doubt to keep me from stealing them lol!!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121503)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Aug 16
@BelleStarr I know what I'm getting you for Christmas this year!!!!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (338682)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Aug 16
I can understand how this happened. It is such a small thing but isn't our conscience a pain at times? I can imagine your feelings thinking you'd been found out. You sometimes see sportspersons or politicians throw away a career through taking what is really insignificant stuff but getting found out.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
24 Aug 16
@JudyEv I am going to hazard a guess, all ends well?
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
24 Aug 16
I know that we are all temmpted regularly and I am just so disappointed in myself that I gave in to it, I erally am better than that!! But that day I wasn't lol
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (338682)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Aug 16
@BelleStarr Well, it was small and taught you a lesson and you've never done it since so 'alles ist gut' as my lovely Viennese friend would say.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (37336)
• Toccoa, Georgia
23 Aug 16
I am glad you learned a valuable lesson from that event.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
23 Aug 16
Yes I certainly did and it has stayed with me ever since.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
25 Aug 16
Oh yes, I learned my lesson for sure.
1 person likes this
@simone10 (54187)
• Louisville, Kentucky
26 Aug 16
@BelleStarr I would have been paranoid just as you were when you were called to the office.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
24 Aug 16
bless yer heart, i'd prolly felt the same - but would'a confessed to my boss 'n pleaded fer leniency.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
24 Aug 16
Since we were bonded,I would have been fired immediately and maybe even arrested, That would have been traumatic, to say the least.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
24 Aug 16
@BelleStarr yepperz, that'd been awful.
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
24 Aug 16
I think all of us may have been tempted.... but I would not have been able to do it as my guilty conscience would have haunted me forever .... a bit like yours did .... 
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
24 Aug 16
To this day I can't imagine why I gave in to the temptation but maybe I just needed to be taught that lesson. It was effective that much I do know.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
24 Aug 16
@sueznewz2 Yes I am that person too and that is why my heart stopped when I was called to the office. lol I look terrible in a striped jumpsuit lol
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
24 Aug 16
@BelleStarr yes ... it was...but i'd seen too many movies where people get caught... and I knew if I ever did anything wrong... I would be one of the ones that got caught....lol...that and my conscience. .has been an effective deterrent. .lol
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
24 Aug 16
No it isn't but I think we are none of us perfect and I wanted to show that while I consider myself to be honest, I did make a very bad choice that one time.
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3340)
• Bournemouth, England
23 Aug 16
I think 46 years is more than long enough to be feeling that you owe them.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
24 Aug 16
I am sure that you are right but I am Catholic, we are expert at guilt lol
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
26 Aug 16
@asfarasiknow true and cathartic I think. lol
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3340)
• Bournemouth, England
24 Aug 16
@BelleStarr Well, this was a very public confession!
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
23 Aug 16
Oh yes, it was my one and only time for dishonesty
1 person likes this
@sosapanla (55)
• Bangalore, India
24 Aug 16
that's ok. But it is good that you learnt about honesty in a very early stage.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
23 Aug 16
Oh yes, it has been my policy ever since.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
23 Aug 16
Me too, it was enough to make me never ever want to do that again.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
23 Aug 16
No harm done but yes a very important lesson learned. I still cringe when I think about it. Especially since it was not something I needed.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
23 Aug 16
I am not quite sure what this means but I appreciate the read.
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
23 Aug 16
I am glad that you learned your lesson early on. Everybody makes mistakes and it could have very well cost you the job that you really enjoyed. It was a blessing that you were called into the office that day even though it wasn't for the $1 soap. It doesn't make you look bad. You just made a bad decision that day and the important thing is that you never done it again! You learned a value lesson and you will instill that in your children.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
23 Aug 16
I did instill it into my children and even my grandkids, I am 66 years old lol. Thank you for your support, it was a bad decision and no, I have never repeated it.
