is this the face of a criminal?

Or at least an accomplice? Someone who aids and abets? I used to think not, until the other night at Michael’s Arts & Crafts. Ok, let me back up. John & I had made plans to do dinner out that night because we received a coupon in the mail and if that’s not a good enough reason to skip the grilled chicken and shove burgers down our throat then I don’t know what is. So I was going to meet him there on his way home from work. I got there early and decided to run into the Michael’s next-door because a week earlier John had let me know that Spookytown (the Halloween village) had made it’s 2009 debut in stores. Please don’t ask me why my husband was in Michael’s without me, I’ll just lie to you.

Anyway, if you aren’t on my Spookytown Dinner Party invite list every Halloween, then you probably don’t know why this is kind of a big deal. We have a huge S-Town collection and while I enjoy it, John is slightly obsessed, always wanting to buy more. I think we’re one step away from being creepy and obnoxious, and not in a good way. Anyway, I decided I would hit up Michael’s and pick up one of the 2009 Limited Edition S-Town buildings for him as a surprise. I had a 40% coupon burning a hole in my pocketbook anyway.

So I go in, pick out The House of Wax and proceed to the register. I am the only one in line and there is only one cashier on duty, a young girl of about 20. She eyes up the box and this conversation ensues:

STBJ (Soon-to-be-Jobless): “Wow that is crazy lookin”
Me: “Uhhhh yeah, heh heh”

STBJ scans the box

STBJ: “$89.99!?!?”
Me: “Yup, crazy huh?”
STBJ: “You’re gonna pay that for this?”
Me: “Uh, yeah, I mean, I’ve got this 40% coupon”
STBJ: “Give me 20 bucks and you can have it”
Me: “Um, what?”
STBJ: “If you give me 20 bucks, you can have it”
Me: “Really?”
STBJ: “Yeah…and if you want any more of them, just grab them”

At this point, I am in total disbelief and am trying to figure out what the hell is going on and how to respond.

Me: “Uhhh, I don’t have any cash on me”
STBJ: “Well if you want it, you can go get the money and come back. I’ll just keep this behind the register”
Me: “Um, ok”

So I walk out of Michael’s, baffled. Holy ethical dilemma. I mean, these things are so over-priced…I could get it for 20 freakin dollars! But what if I was being set-up? Was this a sting? Why me? Do I look cool, like I would be cool with this “exchange”?

I get to the restaurant and have to ruin my intended surprise to get John’s opinion. He gave me 3 options…go back with some cash and get hooked up for $20, go back another day and just buy them or go back and tell on her. “I’m no rat!” I yelled at him. So throughout dinner, I just kept whining to him “What do I do????” We parted ways at our cars without knowing what my decision would be.
I followed him directly home.

I knew he was slightly disappointed when he saw me in his rearview mirror. Oh well. We may not have the House of Wax for now but at least we have our integrity. My friends, however, do not ooohh and aaahhh over integrity though, so we’re screwed.