Best Buy
“Do you see that old hag at the end of the aisle?” Israel murmured.
“Which one?” Jacob whispered back.
“How many old women do you see at the end of the aisle?”
“The one who’s looking at laptop computers with her husband?” Jacob asked.
“No dummy, the one with the little girl.” Israel responded.
“Yeah, what about her?”
“Do you see the big bag she carries?”
“Yeah, so?”
“She’s perfect.” Israel said.
“Perfect for what? What the hell are you talking about man?”
“To get us the X-box 360 with 250 GB console.”
“You’re not making sense man.” Jacob asked.
“An old lady with an innocent face and a huge hand bag, the perfect combination to pull off a petty
crime.”
“What’re you up to now?”
“We plant the game in her purse and she’ll carry it out of store for us.”
“You don’t even play computer games? Why would be interested in stealing one?
“I’m in it for the rush my man.”
“You must be out of your mind. How do we stick it in her purse?”
“I looked at her purse. It’s unzipped and wide open like a hungry mouth to gobble an expensive video
game. She’s a natural accomplice.” Israel smirked.
“I don’t know man.” Jacob shook his head.
“There’s no risk involved, this scheme works like a charm”
“That’s nuts even by your standards. What if she gets stopped?”
“Then she learns her lesson not to steal anymore. I guaranty you nothing happens. They’d never suspect
an old lady like her. Besides, who cares if she gets caught? Do you think they’ll call the cops on her? She must
be eighty years old for crying out loud. She looks like your Grandmother, God bless her soul” Israel grinned.
”It’s not going to work. The electronic gadget on the package sets off the alarm at the door.”
“No it won’t.”
“How do you know?” Jacob shrieked.
“Because I already checked, the X-box doesn’t have a security device on it. They don’t install theft
prevention devices on large packages. They assume no one would walk out of store with a large box under
his arm? I’ve thought of everything.”
“Are you sure?” Jacob asked.
“We’ll find out soon enough. Besides, what do we have to lose?”
“How do we plant an X-box in her purse?”
“Delicately my friend, with finesse.”
“I… I can’t do it.” Jacob said.
“I do it myself. Just watch and learn my gullible friend.”
*****
“Those two punks,” Mr. Collins pointed at Israel and Jacob,” they’re up to something. I can sense it.” The
store manager said to his assistance.
“We don’t want punks like these hang around here. They hurt our sales, especially around holiday time. I
walk by them a few times to let them know we’re on to them.” His assistant Roger said.
“No, no, I like to catch them red handed. Let’s wait a little. I bet they’re going pull a trick on us.” Mr.
Collins said.
“Most of our items have the buzzer on them.” His assistant said.
“No, they’re not that stupid to walk off with merchandise. They know they’ll get caught. You see that
old lady on aisle four? I bet you they’re going to sneak the merchandise in her purse and let her do their dirty
work for them.” Mr. Collins pensively shook his head.
“How could we catch them then?” Roger asked.
“Is the surveillance camera working on aisle four?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes Sir.”
“Then, don’t scare them away. Let them pull their stunt. I’ll catch them in the parking lot and with the
video footage we can send them to jail today.”
“You Sir have a criminal mind.” Roger said.
“Twenty five years in retail sales made me the Devil I am. That’s why I’m the boss.” Mr. Collins boasted,
“Just make sure right after I go out after them you call the police.”
*****
“Where are we going today Nana?” The young girl asked. ”Let’s go to the park.”
“No, let’s do something different today. Maybe we can go to stores and browse for a while and then we’
ll have an Ice-cream my dear.”
“Shopping, shopping where?”
“I don’t know, where ever you like, but just to browse.”
“Let’s go to Best Buy?” Katy giggled.
“What kind of stuff do they sell dear?”
“Best Buy is an electronic store. They sell Televisions and computers Grandma.”
“I see.” Her grandma smiled.
“They have all kinds of cool stuff. There’s a game called X-box 360. I wish I had one.” The young girl said.
“Unfortunately they’re too expensive for my tight budget my dear. Who knows maybe one day I get you
one of those.”
“What’s happening to you today Grandma? You never go to store? Why all of a sudden you decided to go
to Best Buy?”
“I like to see the cool stuff you always talk about. You can play with computer games while I look
around.”
“What’s up with this huge purse? You don’t have anything to put in it?” Katy said.
“Oh my dear, I wish I had an answer for every question you ask.”
“Wait a minute Nana; let me at least zip your hand bag.” She was reaching the purse under her
Grandmother’s arm.
“No, no. Let it be sweetie. There is nothing in it fall off anyway.”
“You’re too unpredictable for a Grandma.” Katy chuckled.
*****
At Best Buy Katy left her Grandmother to browse and walked to the video game section of the store and
sat in a booth, put on the head set and started driving the digital car at high speed. Her Grandma
fascinated by the latest electronics closely examined products in every isle.
Israel swiftly grabbed an X-box off the shelf, quietly walked by the old lady and delicately slipped it in her
purse and rushed off.
“Let’s get out of here. Operation X-box phase one is complete.” Israel said to Jacob.
The two young men raced out of the store and walked toward the flower shop next door and waited.
“Bingo! I told you they were going to do it. I catch these punks when they try to snatch the X-box from
the old lady’s bag in the parking lot. You watch and when you see us all together call the cops right away.”
“I already called them and they spotted an officer close by. He’s right there in the Baskin Robins waiting
for me to give him the signal.”
“Good thinking Roger. Make sure you see all of us together before you call the officer and not a minute
too soon otherwise we can’t prove anything. Remember out of the store we cannot accuse anyone of
shoplifting unless we can prove it.” Mr. Collins said.
Mrs. Pendleton hurried to the Video game section to fetch Katy, “let’s go dear I browsed enough for
today.”
“What did you get Nana?”
“Shush, I’m not sure yet.” She smiled.
“What do you mean you’re not sure Nana? Did you find something interesting?”
“No, someone else did it for me, it surely feels heavy.”
“What’re you talking about Nana? You forgot to take your medications this morning, didn’t you?”
“Oh my goodness, I don’t remember.” Her Nana said.
Mrs. Pendleton and Katy walked out of the store followed by the store manager. Katy was pulling her
Grandmother’s hand toward where her car was parked.
“Oh, look my dear, there’s a Basking Robins here too. Let’s go have an Ice Cream.”
They walked in the Baskin Robins. Inside the store, Mrs. Pendleton rushed to a police officer who was
sitting behind the counter having a sandwich and said, “Officer, I need your help.”
“What can I do for you Ma’am?” The officer politely responded.
“I think we’re being followed,” Mrs. Pendleton said.
“Are you sure Ma’am?”
“Yes officer, I’m scared.”
“Don’t worry. Can you point out the person who followed you?“ The officer inquired.
“That man followed us out of the store.” She pointed at Mr. Collins the store manager who was waiting
outside the Ice Cream shop by the lamp post, “he was watching me everywhere I went inside the store.”
“Did he say anything? Did he bother you at all?”
“No but I don’t feel safe walking to my car alone with my granddaughter.”
“Well, if he didn’t disturb you, he hasn’t broken any law. I can’t confront him but what I can do is to
escort you two ladies to your car.”
“That would be wonderful.”
“Enjoy your Ice-Cream and we will all leave together,” officer said.
“Oh, thank you officer.”
Ten minutes later, the police officer escorted Mrs. Pendleton and her granddaughter to their car. She
thanked the officer profusely and drove off the parking lot. Mr. Collins, the store manager, Israel and Jacob
were all watching them flabbergasted.
While driving on freeway back home, Mrs. Pendleton touched her purse, glanced inside it in
wonderment and said to her granddaughter, “Thank you for being a good company. I have a feeling you’ll
get what you wished for today.”
“Do you see that old hag at the end of the aisle?” Israel murmured.
“Which one?” Jacob whispered back.
“How many old women do you see at the end of the aisle?”
“The one who’s looking at laptop computers with her husband?” Jacob asked.
“No dummy, the one with the little girl.” Israel responded.
“Yeah, what about her?”
“Do you see the big bag she carries?”
“Yeah, so?”
“She’s perfect.” Israel said.
“Perfect for what? What the hell are you talking about man?”
“To get us the X-box 360 with 250 GB console.”
“You’re not making sense man.” Jacob asked.
“An old lady with an innocent face and a huge hand bag, the perfect combination to pull off a petty
crime.”
“What’re you up to now?”
“We plant the game in her purse and she’ll carry it out of store for us.”
“You don’t even play computer games? Why would be interested in stealing one?
“I’m in it for the rush my man.”
“You must be out of your mind. How do we stick it in her purse?”
“I looked at her purse. It’s unzipped and wide open like a hungry mouth to gobble an expensive video
game. She’s a natural accomplice.” Israel smirked.
“I don’t know man.” Jacob shook his head.
“There’s no risk involved, this scheme works like a charm”
“That’s nuts even by your standards. What if she gets stopped?”
“Then she learns her lesson not to steal anymore. I guaranty you nothing happens. They’d never suspect
an old lady like her. Besides, who cares if she gets caught? Do you think they’ll call the cops on her? She must
be eighty years old for crying out loud. She looks like your Grandmother, God bless her soul” Israel grinned.
”It’s not going to work. The electronic gadget on the package sets off the alarm at the door.”
“No it won’t.”
“How do you know?” Jacob shrieked.
“Because I already checked, the X-box doesn’t have a security device on it. They don’t install theft
prevention devices on large packages. They assume no one would walk out of store with a large box under
his arm? I’ve thought of everything.”
“Are you sure?” Jacob asked.
“We’ll find out soon enough. Besides, what do we have to lose?”
“How do we plant an X-box in her purse?”
“Delicately my friend, with finesse.”
“I… I can’t do it.” Jacob said.
“I do it myself. Just watch and learn my gullible friend.”
*****
“Those two punks,” Mr. Collins pointed at Israel and Jacob,” they’re up to something. I can sense it.” The
store manager said to his assistance.
“We don’t want punks like these hang around here. They hurt our sales, especially around holiday time. I
walk by them a few times to let them know we’re on to them.” His assistant Roger said.
“No, no, I like to catch them red handed. Let’s wait a little. I bet they’re going pull a trick on us.” Mr.
Collins said.
“Most of our items have the buzzer on them.” His assistant said.
“No, they’re not that stupid to walk off with merchandise. They know they’ll get caught. You see that
old lady on aisle four? I bet you they’re going to sneak the merchandise in her purse and let her do their dirty
work for them.” Mr. Collins pensively shook his head.
“How could we catch them then?” Roger asked.
“Is the surveillance camera working on aisle four?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes Sir.”
“Then, don’t scare them away. Let them pull their stunt. I’ll catch them in the parking lot and with the
video footage we can send them to jail today.”
“You Sir have a criminal mind.” Roger said.
“Twenty five years in retail sales made me the Devil I am. That’s why I’m the boss.” Mr. Collins boasted,
“Just make sure right after I go out after them you call the police.”
*****
“Where are we going today Nana?” The young girl asked. ”Let’s go to the park.”
“No, let’s do something different today. Maybe we can go to stores and browse for a while and then we’
ll have an Ice-cream my dear.”
“Shopping, shopping where?”
“I don’t know, where ever you like, but just to browse.”
“Let’s go to Best Buy?” Katy giggled.
“What kind of stuff do they sell dear?”
“Best Buy is an electronic store. They sell Televisions and computers Grandma.”
“I see.” Her grandma smiled.
“They have all kinds of cool stuff. There’s a game called X-box 360. I wish I had one.” The young girl said.
“Unfortunately they’re too expensive for my tight budget my dear. Who knows maybe one day I get you
one of those.”
“What’s happening to you today Grandma? You never go to store? Why all of a sudden you decided to go
to Best Buy?”
“I like to see the cool stuff you always talk about. You can play with computer games while I look
around.”
“What’s up with this huge purse? You don’t have anything to put in it?” Katy said.
“Oh my dear, I wish I had an answer for every question you ask.”
“Wait a minute Nana; let me at least zip your hand bag.” She was reaching the purse under her
Grandmother’s arm.
“No, no. Let it be sweetie. There is nothing in it fall off anyway.”
“You’re too unpredictable for a Grandma.” Katy chuckled.
*****
At Best Buy Katy left her Grandmother to browse and walked to the video game section of the store and
sat in a booth, put on the head set and started driving the digital car at high speed. Her Grandma
fascinated by the latest electronics closely examined products in every isle.
Israel swiftly grabbed an X-box off the shelf, quietly walked by the old lady and delicately slipped it in her
purse and rushed off.
“Let’s get out of here. Operation X-box phase one is complete.” Israel said to Jacob.
The two young men raced out of the store and walked toward the flower shop next door and waited.
“Bingo! I told you they were going to do it. I catch these punks when they try to snatch the X-box from
the old lady’s bag in the parking lot. You watch and when you see us all together call the cops right away.”
“I already called them and they spotted an officer close by. He’s right there in the Baskin Robins waiting
for me to give him the signal.”
“Good thinking Roger. Make sure you see all of us together before you call the officer and not a minute
too soon otherwise we can’t prove anything. Remember out of the store we cannot accuse anyone of
shoplifting unless we can prove it.” Mr. Collins said.
Mrs. Pendleton hurried to the Video game section to fetch Katy, “let’s go dear I browsed enough for
today.”
“What did you get Nana?”
“Shush, I’m not sure yet.” She smiled.
“What do you mean you’re not sure Nana? Did you find something interesting?”
“No, someone else did it for me, it surely feels heavy.”
“What’re you talking about Nana? You forgot to take your medications this morning, didn’t you?”
“Oh my goodness, I don’t remember.” Her Nana said.
Mrs. Pendleton and Katy walked out of the store followed by the store manager. Katy was pulling her
Grandmother’s hand toward where her car was parked.
“Oh, look my dear, there’s a Basking Robins here too. Let’s go have an Ice Cream.”
They walked in the Baskin Robins. Inside the store, Mrs. Pendleton rushed to a police officer who was
sitting behind the counter having a sandwich and said, “Officer, I need your help.”
“What can I do for you Ma’am?” The officer politely responded.
“I think we’re being followed,” Mrs. Pendleton said.
“Are you sure Ma’am?”
“Yes officer, I’m scared.”
“Don’t worry. Can you point out the person who followed you?“ The officer inquired.
“That man followed us out of the store.” She pointed at Mr. Collins the store manager who was waiting
outside the Ice Cream shop by the lamp post, “he was watching me everywhere I went inside the store.”
“Did he say anything? Did he bother you at all?”
“No but I don’t feel safe walking to my car alone with my granddaughter.”
“Well, if he didn’t disturb you, he hasn’t broken any law. I can’t confront him but what I can do is to
escort you two ladies to your car.”
“That would be wonderful.”
“Enjoy your Ice-Cream and we will all leave together,” officer said.
“Oh, thank you officer.”
Ten minutes later, the police officer escorted Mrs. Pendleton and her granddaughter to their car. She
thanked the officer profusely and drove off the parking lot. Mr. Collins, the store manager, Israel and Jacob
were all watching them flabbergasted.
While driving on freeway back home, Mrs. Pendleton touched her purse, glanced inside it in
wonderment and said to her granddaughter, “Thank you for being a good company. I have a feeling you’ll
get what you wished for today.”