The Fugitive

Shrike emailed me at work today:

So, this morning someone rings the doorbell and I figure it is the FedEx man again. But when I am sneaking around the corner in my jammies, I see a cop car.

Seems they were looking for someone who drives a yellow car who forgot to pay for their gas at ConvenienceStore.

ConvenienceStore figured it was a mistake on your part (not on purpose) because you went inside to pay for the Mac and Cheese and the Latte. (The cop had a copy of the receipt.)

I am only telling you this, because I am going to stop by there on my way to work and pay it and I want to make sure they don't try to get you to pay it next time you go.

Should I ask how your day is going?

I love you

You see, here's what happened.

Yesterday morning, I stopped to get gas. And (decaf) coffee. And breakfast. And lunch.

Since I was getting food, I selected "pay inside" and pumped my gas, then went inside and ordered my food (touch screen kiosk) and got in line to pay.

In line behind about 10 people, because there was one checker at 8:30 am. (Excuse me, 8:32 am, according to the police report.)

By the time it was my turn to pay, I'd seen at least two or three shiny things, and completely forgot to tell the cashier that I had also had purchased gas.

They noticed later.

More from Shrike about the visit from the cop:

He was nice. And he asked me if I knew this car. (He also had still photos printed from the security camera, of me in my car and of me at the counter, I believe.)

I said "Is it yellow?" He said, yes and he explained the situation. That everyone though it was a mistake. He also seemed to think it was ConvenienceStore's fault. I think because they allow you to pump without paying anything.

He was attractive for an older fellow. He was probably our age though. (See above, re "older fellow.") And did not have that jackbooted thug attitude.

He told me I could take care of it and just tell them it is the yellow car. And he was fine with all that. Didn't take anything down or anything.

Luckily, he had woken her up, so she was too sleepy to jump to any terrifying conclusions about why there might be a cop at the door, or why he might have photos of me and my car.

It was very sweet of her to offer to stop and pay for it on her way to work, but I told her that was silly. It was my mistake, and I could take care of it.

(Besides, what a great excuse to get another decaf sugar free caramel sugar free dark chocolate mocha latte and mac & cheese for dinner right?)

They were very nice about it when I went by this evening. They said that they "give everyone the benefit of the doubt" and always assume that it was an accident when that happens, but then if the person doesn't come back to pay, then press charges.

Of course, as often as I'm in there, I'm sure that as soon as they saw me on the security camera, they probably said, "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure she'll be back!"

Before I left work, Shrike said, in an email, "Call if you need me to bail you out."

I told her, "You'd better. You don't want our child to be born in prison, do you?"

She said, "No, 'Peeper' is a tough name to live down in the Big House."