I feel guilty. I feel really guilty. I did somthing that maybe I shouldn't have done, and there were dire consequences. It all happened a couple of weeks ago.
I had waited to the last minute to begin work on two psychology papers that were due the next day. So, I anticipated staying up all night as I wrote. I went to Grand Union to pick up some candy and caffeine.
When I was checking out, the cashier was an aquaintance of mine, and for fear of retribution at the hands of this power-monger I will only refer to him as Keith Havens. You'll soon understand why.
My total was $10.91 and I gave Keith eleven dollars. When he gave me my change, he asked me, "do you have a penny?" I told him that I did not. Then he said, "Oh, well it's okay, don't worry about it." With that kind of wild abandon and a devil-may-care glance, he gave me a dime for change instead of the nine cents that I deserved. I was elated and I took the extra cent, and left with a smile on my face.
Two days later, that smile was erased when I drove past the Grand Union.... or should I say "The Blank"? The sign had been removed. A day after that, a Stop-n-Shop sign was in it's place. Perhaps they had been waiting in the wings all along, crouched and ready to spring once Grand Union was weak enough to be destroyed. How was I to know that I was turned into a cog in the machine that would destroy an empire? It was just a penny, right? Right?!? How was I to know that penny would send a shockwave thoughout the store and the entire company and shake it to it's knees?
But, it wasn't my fault! It isn't like I acted alone. I trusted Keith. I didn't think that a person who carried such awesome power and responsiblity would be so careless. I guess I know how the captain of the Titanic feels now... I wasn't alone in the creation of this disaster, but the pain, guilt, and shame still rest heavily upon my shoulders.
I just want to apologize. I didn't know that by taking that cent that hundereds of people would lose their lives and countless more their jobs. I didn't know that by taking that cent I would be altering the course of human events. I'm so, so very sorry. |
