How I Learned My Friend was a Kleptomaniac!

I once had this friend who always was buying me things. I felt like I owed her, because she never had a reason to get me anything.

Then one day, she asked to go to the store. I questioned her, because she told me she was broke. So I wanted to know, why she wanted to go rather than waste the fuel and time.

She asked if she could open up to me, and I said, sure.

Low and behold she told me she steals ninety eight percent of everything. I was dumbfounded at first, but her story was no where at an end. She told me that she was a pro, and had been doing this for quite sometime now. She started off, with only stealing things her and her children needed, when she had custody of them; that is. And then as time went on, she became better at it, and felt she could always do better, always get more. She would steal clothing from Wal-Mart, and went out the one door with the stolen merchandise and back in the other door, for a return, same store, and minutes apart. She admitted that at first, they would refund cash, but later Wal-Mart started using gift cards instead. She laughed, and stated to me "Yeah they don't know it, but they are paying me to steal!"

I learned Wal-Mart was her favorite place to steal from. But the smaller the department store, like Dollar General, and little Mom and Pop stores, she told me they didn't have security devices, and cameras, so it was even easier to steal from them. She told me she could do it at the Malls, but she had to be really careful. I was just so shocked. She also told me, that why not do it, everyone else was, and that the World owed her. She obviously ignored the looks on my face, I mean there was no way I had looked impressed. Shocked and dumbfounded if anything!

And stupid me, whenever I had spare money, because it seemed she was spending so much on me, that I would buy her things. I didn't want to come across as a user. But after learning this, I decided to ask if the things she bought for me, were in fact-stolen. She shrugged her shoulders, and admitted yes.

How am I supposed to feel now? My friend was a kleptomaniac, and I was aiding and abetting unknowingly. And my license plate has my name on it! I wonder how many stores think or even know I am her transportation, and even go in the stores with her!

It took me a few days, but I decided I was done driving this girl around, and shopping with her at the same time. I have responsibilities, and a family to take care of. I was in no way shape or form, ruining my criminal record for her.

My friend told me she knew I couldn't handle it, and that I would act out. She told me, it would have been better, if I would have never been any the wiser.

This is how I learned my friend was a kleptomaniac! (Yes, she STILL does this to this day. However, her and I since have parted ways.)