Today’s Daily Prompt is: Think about the last time you broke a rule (a big one, not just ripping the tags off your pillows). Were you burned, or did things turn out for the best?
You mean I can’t mention my tag ripping? Well crap.
All right. Then I guess I will have to dismiss my skipping school, writing in library books, smoking under age, and other various small infractions. I’ll have to talk about a big one. For me it’s one of the biggest. Stealing.
Yes, I said stealing. As in ‘I stole something’. What did I say? I said I STOLE something. Yeah, a thief. Nasty right? I hate thieves. I detest them. But for a very short time in my life I became one. Only one time though. Not sure if that makes it better, but it really was only that one time. Let me explain.
It was a couple of months after my divorce. I was broke. Flat broke. There was no food in the cupboards or the fridge. None. But I could handle that. I worked with a few stand up great women. They knew I was having a lot of problems. My very tiny paycheck didn’t go far enough. After rent, car payment and utilities there was no money for food that month. A good friend from work treated me to a nice lunch. So I was fed for the day. There was no way I was going to borrow money from her. No way! She had helped me in the past and I couldn’t ask. Prideful? Maybe.
I had furbabies though. Three dogs that had at one point saved my life. (you can read that story here ) They were my babies. I loved those dogs with all my heart. They were loyal and forgiving and loved me unconditionally. I wasn’t about to let them go hungry after all they had done for me. One was a German Shepherd, one was a Cocker Spaniel and the other was a Heinz 57.
I had no family to ask for help. I sure wasn’t going to my ex, hell, I was hiding from him. So I stole a couple of cans of dog food. Yeah, a moment I’m not proud of. I was so scared! I thought for sure I was going to get caught! My heart was pounding so hard that’s all I heard as I walked out of that store! To this day I still can’t believe I didn’t get caught. To this day that’s the only thing I ever stole.
I went home and fed my furbabies. And cried. I felt so ashamed that my life had gotten to that point. I thought what about the next day? The day after that? I could live on peanut butter (and did for months), but my dogs couldn’t.
It must have been about an hour later that I had a knock at my door. Not many people knew where I lived so I peeked out the window first. Standing at my door was my best friend Terri and her 3 little boys. They all had a bag in their hands. I opened the door and Terri and her boys came in with groceries! Bags of groceries! Also, she had in her car a big bag of dog food!
She said she knew how rough things were for me money wise. We talked every night on the phone. So she had some extra money that month and her and the kids went shopping for me. Now, I’m not much of a crier, but I cried twice that day. I loved that woman like a sister. She had a wonderful heart and spirit. Terri wherever you are, I love you woman!
So that was my one walk on the dark side. My one trip as a thief. But my dogs ate and I was blessed with a dear friend. After that I managed one way or the other to feed my babies without resorting to thievery. It wasn’t easy, but living with a guilty conscience wasn’t any easier.
The Last Chapter 
You did the right thing feeding your furbabies. 🙂
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Thank you! I thought I did the right thing at the time. Still do. 🙂 Thanks for visiting.
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A guilty conscience is the worst, no matter what we are guilty of.
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So true Lois, so very true.
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Love your story Ms Roeder! And you are dismissed of your sins from the ‘Guilt Police’…to steal to survive or to help others is ok in my books…a necessity if you will. Just take a look at Robin Hood if you need inspirationc 🙂
As for my own indiscretions when it comes to being an outlaw…there are a few!
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Thank you so much sir! I appreciate the understanding. I would do it again for my pets. Thank goodness I never had to. 🙂
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I would do the same thing, steal for my cats. I will beg and borrow just to feed my furries. Good for you to think of your companion in life. And good for you for having a dear friend. I hope that you are all settled now, food, dogs and all.
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Oh yes, what happened then was several years ago. All is good now. Thank you! I would do it again if I had to. 🙂
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I read his when you first posted, and I wanted to hop in my truck and drive to Calgary and give you a hug. There are things I’ve done in my past that I wish I could take back – or get a do-over – but the past is the past, and you were desperate. I believe that no matter how we believe about something, we never know what we will really do until we are faced with a situation. … And, as always, this was really well written – quite emotional. (Are your eyes really that blue?)
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Thank you so much Maddie! I would gladly accept that hug and hug you right back! It’s true too. A person never knows what they will do unless given that situation. Thank you for understanding. My eyes? No not really that blue. They are more blue-gray, all though when I last went to get new glasses the lady complimented me on such blue eyes. ha! So maybe it’s just me that doesn’t realize they are that blue. 😉
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When things are hard and pride won’t allow us to ask for help we do what we have to do. I’m not entering this challenge because I had flesh kids and I’ve done too many things I’m not proud of and not willing to share. I mustn’t tarnish my rep. 🙂
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I hesitated myself. But, I did what I did and would do it again if the same circumstances held. 🙂
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