Stop thief!

[mandragora]

Went off to Sainsbury's to do the weekly food shop this morning. It was pouring with rain, so I grabbed a trolley from the nearest trolley-drop in the car park and ran for the entrance. Sometimes there can be a bit of a shortage of trolleys if the lads on trolley duty have been a bit slow in recovering them from the various trolley-drops, but not today. Today there were trolley's everywhere, as many trolleys as you could want, trolleys frollicking in the car park and nestling by the entrance, gleaming trolleys sparkling with rain drops, or dryly stacked by the entrance. Suffice it to say, anyone who wanted a trolley could have one, or several, or as many as they wanted. For, behold, there were loads of trolleys. *important plot point*

I'd made it as far as just past the entrance and up to the magazines with my pristine, empty, as yet untouched by potential purchases trolley when a stocky little man yelled at me, "Stop! You've got our trolley."

*Blink-blink, blink-blink*

As I stood there, expression akin to a deer caught in the headlights, he came up to me and, gaping scowl plastered across his face, grabbed at my trolley, which was still clutched in my, frankly, boggling hands.

"I think you'll find," he began grimly, flicking over a small, Sainsbury's leaflet that was decorating the bottom of the trolley, "that you've got-- Oh, no. Sorry," mumbled in a small, sheepish voice. And he bustled off, leaving me to catch the bemused gaze of a couple of fellow shoppers.

"Shocking," the man commented.

"That's right," the woman next to him agreed, "fancy taking a trolley that's left out for everyone to use--"

"And not realising that it's got his name on it," the man finished smartly, gazing at my wordless, smartly stainless steel trolley.

And then we all cracked up.

Later, in the check-out queue the man queueing at the till next to mine inadvertantly bumped my (by now full) trolley with his. "Oh, sorry," he said automatically, and then, obviously recognising me, with delight, "It's the trolley napper!" And then to his male friend, "Better watch this one, she takes empty trolleys, you know, for her own use!"

Comments

[nikandra.livejournal.com]

*blinks*

:)
You trolley napper, you!
LOL

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Beware! For no trolley is safe...*g*

[darthrami.livejournal.com]

*giggles*

At least there was a sense of humour all around.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm still grinning at the memory. But really, it was so bizarre that the only sane reaction was to laugh.

[cyberducks.livejournal.com]

Laughs. You trolley fiend you!

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Mwahahah!

[temaris.livejournal.com]

Hee! *dies*

I think it was the frolicking trolleys that killed me. We just don't get that calibre of trolley -- much less repartee -- in EN3

*is sad (whilst giggling madly)*

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Well, it is Winchmore Hill, you know. *g*

Yeah, I've noticed that in the Sainsbury's on the A10 they make you leave a deposit for your trolley. The cheek!

[temaris.livejournal.com]

they make you leave a deposit for your trolley

I know! It's almost as though they think people might run away with them and do perverted things with them, and so they are kept in chains. I envy Winchmore Hill's free range trolleys' happy and frolicksome lives. Also, the lack of needing a quid to use the wretched things.

[raincitygirl.livejournal.com]

Hah. At my local Safeway (the colonies not running to Sainsbury's, you see), not only do you have to put a loonie (one dollar coin) in to unlock the damn thing, they're specially designed so as to seize up if you take them out of the parking lot. Seriously. The wheels just suddenly stop working, and you can't move the damn thing if you get it past a certain point. They had such a problem with rampant trolley-theft, apparently, that they instituted this high-tech system on all the trolleys (God only knows how much it costs to outfit every trolley with this electronic doodad). One tiny snag is that the place where the taxis stop is slightly outside the allowable radius. So you will frequently see pedestrians who've decided to take a taxi home because they've got so much shopping frantically tugging at their trolleys. Because of course they want to move them a wee bit across the pavement so they can load up the boot of the taxi. I'm not sure why they can't simply adjust the range of the fancy-schmancy electronic gadget, but there you have it. Leads to frustrated shoppers and taxi drivers on a daily basis.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

I'm so disillusioned now. I mean, you're Canadians. You're meant to be honest and upright and not-- Inveterate trolley nappers! *g*

I mean, electronically-tagged trolleys! What's next? Immobilisers on cars? Oh, wait.

[akaspeedo.livejournal.com]

They do that here in some place. People actually do steal them. So bizarre!

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

I know -- I mean, unless you're homeless what possible use can you have for a shopping trolley?

But the deposit thing is still stupid. If you want to steal one I shouldn't think that the thought of losing a lousy quid, or dollar, is going to stop you. So, why make people go to all the inconvenience of having to make sure that they've got the correct change on them?

Mind you, it annoys me even more when you fly to an airport, especially to one in another country, and they make you leave a deposit for the luggage trolleys there. Because, amazingly enough, when I buy foreign currency I only ever receive notes and therefore don't have any bleeding coins for the effing luggage trolley on me when I land at said foreign airport. And, why would you even think about nicking a luggage trolley anyway? It's not exactly easy to get it into the taxi or onto the bus, is it?

Thankfully, at British airports the luggage trolleys are free. US airports on the other hand... And some European ones, too. Sigh.

[akaspeedo.livejournal.com]

Ah, what's even stupider is that the deposit is usually 25 cents. And really, as you say, what kind of deterent is that??

Don't even get me started on airports. Especially lately. Since we all know I have explosives in my shaving cream.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Well, at least the threat has been downgraded a little. Now it's a question of waiting to see how much the additional security restrictions are lifted. Sigh.

[daegaer.livejournal.com]

Good heavens. I am deeesgusted by your conduct!

*shakes head sadly*

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

I know. I disgust myself sometimes. *quote*

[thermidor.livejournal.com]

That made me laugh! Thanks!

Hopefully next time at Sainsbury's there will not be a "WANTED" poster with you on it!

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Well, you know, as long as it's a flattering picture...

[raincitygirl.livejournal.com]

Stop, thief!!!! So tell me, what is the suggested sentence if you get nicked for grand trolley larceny? Because you are treading in some very dangerous waters, young lady. And it sounds like there were witnesses aplenty. If you must take to crime, at least make sure to be a competent thief and don't get caught.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

I'll have you know that I'm a very competent thief! Well educated by clients in what not to do... *g*

Sentence for nicking a trolley. First offence? Conditional discharge at best, fine at worse, I should think. Oh, and being stricken off the Roll of Solicitors, as well, of course.

[laurakaye.livejournal.com]

*giggles madlessly*

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

*grin*

[justacat.livejournal.com]

For, behold, there were loads of trolleys.

::snort!:: That's hysterical, especially the guy in the neighboring queue.

And I notice that his friend was *male* ... hmmm, maybe this has the makings of a nice slash story. Maybe they're detectives - their job is to catch trolley-nappers... They leap over tills, in tight jeans, on mad chases...

Or something! :-D

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Now I'm giggling madly, imagining B&D chasing round my local Sainsburys after a gang of trolley nappers.

But yes, I did wonder if they're a couple. Couldn't tell from their behaviour, could be good friend, could be more.

[moth1.livejournal.com]

He was obviously once one of those awful teenagers who walk into a classroom with 30 identical chairs, home in on the most inoffensive child they can see and tell them loudly, 'You've got my chair!' There are a lot of them about.

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Yep. Well, that, or mad... I could go either way.

[keletkezes.livejournal.com]

That's hilarious!

Reading the deposit thing, we have to use £1 coins here: we used to use €1 coins but they blocked those holes up! Thankfully Wilkinson's gave out free bags o' stuff at last Fresher's Fayre with convenient £1-sized coin-things in, attached to keychains! Never need worry about spending that last £1 again...

[mandragora1.livejournal.com]

Oh handy. Get's round the stupidity of forcing you to scrabble around for the damn coins.