Caroline Z.

The Incident about the Neon Green Sharpie

“Swoosh,” the sliding glass door to Walgreens slid to an opening. My brother and my dad walked in, with me tapping and trying to jump onto my dad’s shoulders for a piggyback ride, once he allowed me to  hop on to his back, we made our way straight back to the Pharmacy area. We were only there for one reason, that was to get my asthma medicine. But obviously, that one reason changed to two reasons when I first set eyes on that fine tipped, neon green, beautiful,” Not as beautiful as me, of course,  but still beautiful,” sharpie. Halfway, I made him stop. I tried to squeeze my way out of his strong grip on me. He allowed me to get down, just to let me sprint over to the school supply aisle. I screamed with delight, Daddy, Daddy, I NEED that neon green sharpie. At that time, I was like every other 5 year old. Annoying, and if they don't get what they want, they'd go haywire. After my dad replied,

” No!” Well, I bet you can guess what happened next.

          I suddenly took a moment to process what just took place. Before you know it, I just settled in meltdown mode. The entire store could hear me, ( it was so embarrassing).

” BUT WHY? I… PLEASE!” With tears rolling down my cheek. After my embarrassing meltdown, my dad still said no in the end and kept on making his way to the back of the store with Chris, where the Pharmacy was. After about 10 minutes, I calmed down. ( back then, I was such a drama queen.)

Suddenly, a light bulb lit up in my head! It was a wrong thought and I knew that it was a wrong thing to do. But, I couldn't let the opportunity just leave to get a hold of the fine tipped, neon green, beautiful,” Not as beautiful as me, of course, but still beautiful,” sharpie.

I glanced in one direction, then the next until I made sure that there were no workers, security cameras, or anyone around. I noticed my dad and my brother were asking the Pharmacist,

 “ Yes, Hi. I have a prescription for Caroline Zajac. Can I have it, please?” This was my chance, a perfect moment to snatch it. But then, I started to daydream. “ I can just picture my dad yelling at me, when he finds out I took the same exact sharpie I was having a meltdown over, in my hands. At my apartment, in my hallway.” I deleted the image out of my head, I pushed it aside. I decided to take the risk and got back to what I was doing. There was still a chance to grab it. No workers, no security cameras, no parents, and no brother. No one watching. I picked up the sharpie and slipped it into my pocket. I immediately felt guilt pour into me. I tried, somehow, I mean, to put it back. But it was too late, there were two workers in front of me putting in a new stock of cherry red lipstick. I turned left, another pair of workers were putting in a new stock of Valentine’s Day teddy bears. I turned to the other side of me, My dad and brother were heading towards me. No turning back now.

I was sweating bullets, I thought, “ What if a Worker finds out? What if my Dad finds out? What if I go through the sliding glass door and the security detector goes off and the manager finds out?!! So much questions and stress went through me at once, I couldn’t handle it. I didn’t know what to do. To make matters worse, when my Dad walked up to me he felt bad and said,

“ Sorry, Caroline. For yelling at you, I mean. I will get you the sharpie tomorrow, on my way home from work. I gulped, he carried me to the cash register and I couldn’t put it back. I took the sharpie, carelessly, with my face like a tomato, my hands were clammy, and there were butterflies in my stomach. I wasn’t thinking, but I did it.

          Before I knew it, I was home after about 15 minutes. At Apartment 5B, I tried to put the sharpie away, under my bed. But suddenly, my Dad saw me

 “ I can just picture my dad yelling at me, when he finds out I took the same exact sharpie I was having a meltdown over, in my hands. At my apartment, in my hallway.” I remembered when I pictured that, I murmured to myself.

 “ Oh no! It's happening.¨  I was so nervous and shaky like I was in a earthquake. Those were my words when he saw the sharpie in my hands. His words were,

“ CAROLINE!¨ 

The lesson I learned helped me throughout life, that was. Not to steal a neon green sharpie from Walgreens. Also, not to steal anything without paying for it. I learned what consequences are, what they mean, and that they can be good and bad.