I had a very surreal moment at a recent festival where I was a jewelry vendor.
A lady attempted to steal a pair of earrings from my display. When I realized what was happening I heard myself ask "did you take those earrings?"
She immediately denied it and then tried to blame her 7-9 year old daughter before stating "oh, they're in my hand."
The entire incident probably lasted less than 3 minutes, but it seemed like it went on much longer and in slow motion.
It's hard for me to determine what upset me most. That she took them, that she tried to blame it on her child or that she would steal in front of her daughter.
I'm sure it wasn't her first time taking something that wasn't hers and probably not the first time the poor child has witnessed it, but it was my first time to be the victim of a crime.
It leaves you with a very unsettling, vulnerable feeling.
Luckily I didn't lose the earrings, but I did lose a little bit of my sense of security.
Freda Ross