Thumper Thinks Out Loud

I’m Watching Yooooo

Here’s a bummer of a thought: some people are only as honest as the audience watching them. When presented an opportunity for doing something wrong, if they think no one is watching, they’ll do it. When they realize someone is, they turn around and run, embarrassed.

I was sitting in the BX food court this afternoon, waiting while Spouse Thingy ran into the BX to pick up a case for my contacts (yes, he is a very good Spouse Thingy, but I think I’ve established that numerous times.) Just outside both the BX and the food court, in the foyer, there’s this older couple that sells roasted almonds. I’m guessing they’re both in their late 70s, and the woman is in a wheelchair.

Just before Spouse Thingy got up to go into the BX, the gentleman put up a sign that said “Back in 15 Minutes” and pushed his wife in towards the restrooms; he left his bags of almonds on the table—I presume he had no choice, probably no time to put everything away.

The table I was sitting at was right next to the window, so I watched, waiting for them to come back because, frankly, those nuts smelled really good and I wanted some. As I watched, people went by the table, many of them stopping to pick single nuts out of the free sample tray. A few took three or four in spite of the sign that asked people to take just one. But they did limit themselves to the ones on the sample tray.

And then a young man, I’m thinking he was around 21, stopped and looked carefully at the bags, set his hand on one and picked it up, looked around, started to stick it under his jacket, and then saw me staring at him.

Oh yeah, I stared. One of those “I dare you, you little punk,” stares, though truthfully there was nothing I could have done. No heroics here, he was far enough away he would have been gone before I could have gotten up, opened the door, and made it to the foyer.

But he saw me.
And he put the bag down and walked out.

From his age and build, I assume he was an active duty military member. This kid, if not for realizing someone was watching him, was willing to risk a potential career over a freaking bag of nuts! If he wasn’t the military member, but a dependent of one, he was willing to risk his entire family’s BX and commissary privileges over some roasted, sugar coated almonds.

One can only think he needed a bag of nuts because he just doesn’t have any of his own.