I just got back from a certain chain retail store whose logo looks like a bullseye. So, Target and I get along well enough, but she really gets along with my girlfriend. They haven't had a play date in a while, so we went over to hang out. Anyhow, we were looking around through different aisles, and ended up hanging out in the CD section. Well, low and behold, Mr. Tupac's "All Eyez On Me" double disk album was a mere $9.99. On the same sale rack is another esteemed "old school" album subtly named "The Chronic." That led to me allowing myself to spend money on CD's, so I went through and grabbed a Modest Mouse and The Fray CD. Well, one more glance through everything and I found the holy grail: Third Eye Blind Greatest Hits! I debated on whether to put back MM or The Fray, but I ended up keeping The Fray.
As we headed through the check-stand, I noticed that my total payment was a little low, and was totally stoked about it. When I got to the car, I checked the receipt, and I hadn't been charged for one of my newly aquired CD's. I was able to live with that, but I let my girlfriend know, and it was bothering her...talking about karma and everything else. Who are you, the karma police? (okay, shameless excuse to throw in a Radiohead song which I was also looking for there but couldn't find). Anyhow, she was going to take it back and pay for it, but I couldn't let her do that. So against my will, I was brought back to Target and paid for the CD I hadn't already paid for.
If my idea of karma is the fact that I picked The Fray over Modest Mouse and that CD was the one that wasn't charged, that should be good enough. The question I have here is this: everything that I work for, all the long hours and the sleepless nights so I don't struggle financially through life make me feel good in the end, sure. But at what point do you just say enough is enough. For every person like me who earns everything they have in their lives, there is someone out there getting it for free. Why can't I get anything for free? Why do I have to have such a good conscience to bring a $12 CD back to a multi-million (billion?) dollar corporation that has stores world-wide (I know they're in Perth, Australia anyhow) while other people don't have the good conscience to get a real job, or quit selling drugs to kids, or living off the system. Why can't I be jealous of people who win the lottery or marry a rich octogenarian and have him/her die in a few months and just take all their money? I'm proud of what I have and what I've done, everything I've earned, but I'm allowed to be jealous of those who live the easy life too. I just want a little piece of it every now and then.
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I think that it is ok to be a little jealous every once in a while. I think that working heard builds character. As much as I like my parents to pay for things, I also want to be able to do it myself. I guess that it is a pride thing.
Random yet insightful?
I don't think it was your conscience that led to the CD being returned so you can rest easy! It was knowing that it bothered your girlfriend, which makes it a sweet and romantic gesture on your part. You did it to save your relationship!
As Nietzsche once said "You have your way, I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist."