Quote:
While the Holiday is all about giving, you've just witnessed someone taking. In the middle of a crowded shopping mall, you just saw someone blatantly pickpocket someone else--or maybe, they tried to pickpocket you? You've got a few options--turn a blind eye, inform the victim, chase the thief--anything you feel is right. But still, you've got to do something.
It was probably a good thing that Mags had popped a piece of gum in before entering the mall, as she found the process of smacking it between her lips a comforting solace as she stared up at the racks upon racks of cooking utensils that lay before her like Indiana Jones and that golden idol thingy he tried to steal in that movie she saw that one time. Everything looked so foreign in the fancy cooking shop, compared to the simple spatulas and spoons they used down at the Waffle House. Whoever William or Sonoma was, they surely knew how to do some fancy cookin’ of their own, clearly.
Therefore, it had seemed like the perfect place to start at when it came to searching for a Christmas present for her newest buddy, Ekaterina. Sure, being all fancy with her own cookin’ she probably already had most of the stuff Mr. Sonoma had already tucked away in her kitchen but it was the thought that counted when it came to presents, right? Right??
One hand moved up to brush away a wayward blonde curl as her eyebrows began to furrow in frustration. Last minute Christmas shopping had been a self-imposed remedy to help ignore the fact that yet another birthday had arrived and Mags had let yet another year fly by with nothin’ done. Well, nothin’ worth writin’ home about, if there had been anyone left to write home to.
Twenty-two years old. Dang, it felt like she was already turnin’ into some kind of old maid and what kind of old maid didn’t know what sort of kitchenware to buy a bestie?!
She looked for a store employee - or really, anyone who could assist her in making this life or death decision - when her eyes suddenly fell across a rather shady looking teenager who was ambling a little too closely to a pair of little old ladies. Blue eyes grew even bigger as she watched the teen reach over and dip his hand into the open purse of one of the oblivious women bent on trying to figure out how much she was saving on a nearby set of whisks as opposed to buying them individually.
“Hey! HEY!”
The teen’s head jerked in Mags’ direction, his surprised expression hidden in the shadow of his hoodie’s cover. She took off after him without a second thought, the young man quickly shoving the elderly woman out of his way as he made a dash down the adjacent aisle.
Long legs were quick to make up the distance between them, bright blue eyes narrowing as one lanky arm reached out to grab the offending thief. Not on her watch, he wouldn’t!
Fingers took hold of the fabric of his jacket and Mags snatched the boy backwards at the exact same moment he turned to run down the neighboring aisle. The momentum of his sharp turn and the force of her yank back met midway, directly into the flawless display of Fiesta green and red dishware. Both the chaser and the chase-e let out startled cries as the ceramic plates and bowls came crashing down on top of them both, the teenager clever enough to jump out of the way, Mags’ grip loosening enough for him to slip free. The birthday girl, however, found herself covered with soup bowls and platters as the cacophony of falling breakables showered around her sneakers.
As silence once again settled in over the store, Mags watched helplessly as the teenager dashed out of the store, wallet in hand, and disappeared into the crowd of happy Christmas shoppers swarming the hallways.
“Um…”
Mags, on the other hand, had well over a dozen eyes staring her down as one particularly cross-looking employee stepped forward and folded her arms across her chest.
“I have a question….about...spoons?”
As the older woman began to verbally lay into her about the mess, Mags couldn’t help but wince. Looks like she’d be doing her culinary shopping at the nearby Walmart from now on.
