Gem vs. Baby

 Stardate  April 13, 2017

Most days, I try to act with integrity, accountability, take responsibility for my actions and do the right thing.  Today was not one of those days.

It happened at a store in the mall I will refer to as Action Figure World.  I had been going through a difficult transition period in life, and drove up to the mall listening to the local contemporary church-y station in an attempt to feel better about little things I shouldn't have been worrying about.  Some twenty minutes later, there I was, scrambling to find a dorky Easter gift for my husband.  It had to be something personalized, but not too expensive.  Childcare options did not work out and I had recently left my job to stay home with my son.  Finances have never been tighter, so I needed to choose carefully.

I wandered around the store in a sleep-deprived daze, searching for something to complete a basket-on-a-budget.  To my delight, my little nerdling seemed taken with his surroundings, oogling the heroes and Jedi relics that adorned the wall. 

We walked by a shelf of "Stephen Universe and the Crystal Gems" pop figures that took me back to my pregnancy days when I would  binge watch the cartoon and sing the theme song to the wiggly baby in my belly.  All was well and we journeyed on, yet to find the perfect basket surprise.

"Wow, he really likes that!" One of my fellow nerd shoppers exclaimed. "I think he likes the taste!"  I looked down in the stroller to see my son devouring the corner of the cardboard box.  He has quite a mouthful of teeth for a baby his age, and is beginning to resemble "Dale" from Rescue Rangers.  Those teeth...they can gnaw.

But the bite-mark isn't too bad, I told myself.  In the back of my mind, I could hear the leader of the Crystal Gems telling me to just buy it.  You wrecked it, you bought it.

No, I decided, I don't need a Lapis Lazuli Pop Vinyl right now.   It's probably the last thing I need.

She returned to her place on the shelf.

It's not a big deal.  What does it matter? It's just a nibble in the corner.  The figure itself is perfectly fine.

"Um, you need to buy that.  I can't sell that to customers," said a voice from beyond.  Alas, the ever-observant, short-haired Action Figure World lady knew all and saw all.   

So I apologized for my bad decision-making and bought Lapis Lazuli like I should have done in the first place.  It couldn't have been Rose Quartz?!  The clerk was nice about it, but made her point and I understood.

At first I felt anger, for getting caught doing something so stupid, for now being forced to buy a Lapis Lazuli Pop Vinyl I didn't need. Then I felt shame. Seriously, I never want to be "that" person in a place of business.  I respect shopkeepers and public places.  I mean, the Crystal Gems wouldn't do something like that! (Well, Amethyst totally would, but I digress.)

To make a long story short, this gnawed on Lapis Lazuli is now my favorite pop figure in the house.  Times are tough, but I am lucky and blessed in many ways.  It also serves as a reminder to do the right thing even when you are your worst.  Someone is always watching, be it God, T.J. Eckleburg, or Action Figure World employees.