I thought about that and actually had a bit of a moral struggle with it. But then I thought… it isn’t so much a list as it is numbering the previously mentioned “two thoughts” so I figured I could get away with it.
What a brilliant paragraph. I think I need to respond to people with nonverbal actions more often.
Or “White.”
Bwahahaha 
Small world! About two years ago I was coming back from a road trip and stopped at a gas station near Lexington. I was evidently road weary, and didn’t notice that the clerk didn’t give me back my credit card. The next day my credit card company contacted me, said the manager of the gas station reported that I had left it behind. I said thanks; I will go get it the next day.
What I should have done, was tell the credit card company to cancel that card and send me a new one. But I didn’t think there would be a problem. Something came up and I couldn’t get there the next day. (it was about an hour and half drive to get there). By the second day I got another phone call. This time from the police, they said the management thought one of the employees was up to something and was watching her. They saw her use my card (they didn’t put it in a very secure location) and charge it for gas and then pocket the cash. She did it many times through-out the day, and charged about $240.00 worth of stuff on my card. So they called the cops and the cops called me.
I actually felt a bit responsible. I wondered how much trouble the employee would be in, and wondered if I had just gone up there the next day as I had originally planned, if none of this would have happened. I won’t say I felt guilty, but I did feel bad. For some reason I kept picturing this person who had never committed a crime, hitting hard times beyond her control, and giving in to the temptation because my card was there. If only I had changed my plans and driven up there the very next day, this never would have happened.
Thank you Astro! I no longer feel bad. As I scrolled through the reports, a name jumped out at me. It was the same name listed on the reports the police had sent to me updating me about the case. I had often wondered about this person; and there she was. She was convicted this time for very similar charges. I think she got probation for the crime of using my card. But I think it counted against her for sentencing of the more recent crimes.
So I no longer feel that I may have unintentionally been a party to ruining someone’s life. She didn’t take advantage of them being lenient with her the first time (if it was the first time, I really don’t know) and she did it again, and again, and again. So now when I think about it, I can know that her using my card didn’t result in prison, or even stop someone else from hiring her. She had been given a second chance, and threw it away.
It is strange how I blamed myself for her crime. I blamed myself for being careless in the first place and leaving my card behind, and blamed myself for not cancelling the card, or getting it the very next day. I am glad to not have to blame myself anymore. (And should probably look into what was making me feel responsible in the first place)
You really never do know what you will find on the Dope, do you?
I wonder if any of the other Kentucky Dopers will see some familiar faces?
Whenever I think my life is shitty I take a trip down to Wal-Mart, you are guaranteed to walk out feeling like a million bucks. 