Caught in the Act

Nothing spells believable and guilty than a snap of a phone picture. For anyone who thinks that sweet little girl doesn’t have an issue, take a look at the picture

On a recent trip to Starbucks, Violet did her own shopping. She’s never really tried to take anything at Starbucks. Almost as if she subconsciously knows it is her mom’s work place. But yesterday, I guess she felt feisty, thirsty and hungry.

Innocently she wandered around as I kept a peering eye on her. Waving to people, not going too far. Then she was playing with the fruit drinks and snacks. I looked over and saw the little Klepto in action. I had to take a picture. As if no one would notice that huge fruit juice sticking out of her dress. And check out her little left hand. Look how sly she was.  Trying to inconspicuously slip that fruit snack into her purse.

I corrected her and told her, “We don’t take these, you have to put these back.”

 And just as I said that, a woman came over and said, “I hate to say anything, but she took my Tic Tacs.”

Now I found that hard to believe, seeing that Violet was in my sight the whole time. “Are you sure?” I asked. “They aren’t sticking out of her dress.”

“Positive,” the woman said. “They were on the table. She grabbed them. I wasn’t going to say anything . . .”

I turned to Violet. Then, as if she knew she was busted, she clutched her little purse tight to her body, swinging it from our reach. If it wasn’t her protective stance over the purse that gave it away, it was the distinctive ‘rattle’ of the little mints. A ha! She had them.

I reached for the purse, and she let out this ungodly scream. I have attached a video of such a scream so you can get the whole picture.

A tug of war began between me and Violet over the purse. “Give . . . Great One . . . the … purse . . .”

Finally victory ensued. I got the purse and retrieved the tic tacs with a ‘yes!’  I turned to the woman. “Here you go. Sorry.” And I handed her the mints.

When I did, another loud, long scream from Violet brought silence in the coffee shop and suddenly everyone in Starbucks looked at this woman. She of course, had this horrid look of offense. Her jaw dropped with a slant to the right, her mouth agape and slightly crooked, head cocked back and eyes wide. Surely she peered upon my granddaughter as if she were some sort of spawn, as if thinking, “What the hell is this little girl?’

She held that expression only for a moment until she realized all eyes were upon her, and quickly, you guessed it, she gave Violet back the tic tacs.

Violet switched demeanor like Sybil, put the tic tacs in her purse and went back to being the happy shoplifter.

Man, I’m gonna miss her when she goes on vacation next week with her mom.