Was There No Public Bathroom Available?

Last week, during one of those rambling, no-topic phone conversations that I’m such a fan of, I mentioned that I had never received payment for some merchandise that I had sold. Yes, I understand that “sold” implies some sort of exchange of currency, but that was indeed the intent. I don’t know how these things come up in conversation, they just do. When asked why I hadn’t pursued payment more aggressively, I responded that, given the circumstances, the buyer must have really needed the items. My friend was having none of that. “I need lots of things, but that doesn’t mean I just steal them!” Thus began a short but charged discourse on the definition of necessity and its justification for stealing. Or something like that.

Normally, I wouldn’t relate pointless phone conversations, but something happened yesterday that brought this one to mind. I was picking up a few items in my favorite store (one of the joys of working from home is the mid-day, mid-week run to the store). As I sauntered down the aisle, something caught my eye: a 12-pack of store-brand toilet paper had been opened, and one roll was missing. I couldn’t help but laugh as I thought of the conditions that sometimes justify stealing.

Busy, Busy, What?

Last Saturday was a packed day—running around from 7:30 in the morning until11:30 at night. Yes, some of that was entertainment, but busy time nonetheless. Somewhere around the middle of the day, I was rushing through a department store when a beautiful piece of clothing caught my eye. I stopped to touch it and found the softest wool imaginable. It was an ivory coat with black trim, mid-thigh length, double-breasted with black buttons and three buttons at the bottom of each sleeve. Absolutely lovely. I continued on my way, then stopped in my tracks when I realized that this was the prominent item displayed at the front of a whole section of winter coats. The date was August 1. It was inching toward 90 degrees outside. I was in San Jose, California.

Now far be it from me to presume to be able to resolve the decline in retail sales so many economists keep talking about, but perhaps if stores stocked merchandise that was appropriate for location and season, they’d see better results. But, maybe not. I still remember the women who used to wear mittens and scarves in Los Angeles. Maybe a few of them will be looking for new winter coats.