Over the holidays, I took my three young children into a fancy chocolate shop to buy a gift. I was feeling pretty good until halfway home when I looked in the rearview mirror and noticed my 7-year-old son playing with a plastic toy. "Um, where did you get that, Alex?!" "Did you buy it?" "Did I buy it?" "Did you take it?!" Long story short: He had stolen the toy. I kept my cool--even when he said, "but it was only a $1.50, mom!"--and explained why it was unacceptable to take things we didn't buy. I also said he would be returning to the store to apologize and return the item. A few hours later, I marched my son back to the store with two dollars from his pocket money. I stood by the door as he walked sheepishly to the counter and told the clerk that he had taken something without paying for it, that he was sorry and that he would pay for it now. (The toy could not be returned now because Alex had broken it.) Tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched him fidget nervously and search the clerk's face for a sign of approval. Fortunately, the clerk at the chocolate shop was gracious. She told my son he had done the right thing and when she caught my eye, I smiled in thanks and we left. I told my son that I was proud of him and to remember how awful the experience felt. Why didn't they return the toy at last?
Because it had been broken. Because Alex wanted to keep it. Because the clerk at the shop refused to accept it. Because the writer was nervous.