Was This A Hate Crime, Darlings????????????????????

                                    Now, girls, let me explain!!!!!!!  I am not talking about the suicide scandal at Lowen's Pharmacy, several years back.  But, if you look at the picture, move your eyes to the left, and can imagine the image continuing, there will be some sort of 99 cents, or at least very cheap, store, selling really junky merchandise--crappy kids toys, party things, wrappers, ribbons--along this thoroughfare.  And it is this store, which I do not know the name of, or if it has a name, that I am writing about.

                                      It was an event that should not have happened.  Nor had we--Monsieur and myself--any idea that it would. But when it did, the effects were explosive--on a par with Delemarchier's last December 1.  How ironic this took place on the eve of that event's six month anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Things started out normally.  It was to be another routine Friday night, with us having dinner at Anapoli's,  (practically a Friday night ritual!!!!!!!!!) followed by a visit to Key Foods, which Monsieur just loves, and which, last night, did not sport any Peach Cobbler!  I am still thinking about that Southern Ladies Luncheon, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          When we passed the card store, enroute to the market, I was reminded that I had all these cards (birthdays, Father's Day) to buy this month, and that the cards in there are cheap--99 cents, to be exact.  Maybe it was the heat, which, admittedly, had made me a bit cranky, but I did not want to go in there.  I should have heeded my own advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                             I can tell you what happened, darlings, but I have no answer for you as to how, or why.  The card display is  to the right, when one walks in; you hardly go in the store itself. The only other location I was in was the counter, right behind it, to pay for my purchases.

                                              I selected the cards, and envelopes, and marched up to the counter , where a young woman behind the register  was going to ring them up.  Instead, inexplicably, she walks off, and this tall, dark haired, shifty looking guy, of questionable ethnicity, and with tattoos on his arms, offered to ring me up.  Fine. While he went to do this, a soft spoken Asian man (presumably the owner, or, at least, the manager) approached me, saying "Excuse me, sir!," and then relating--are you ready, dolls???--that I was seen putting an item (or some items!!!!!) into my pocket.  In other words, I was being accused of shoplifting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                Now, I was raised Catholic, and I may not be any Bernadette, (except Peters!!!!!!!!) but in my life I have NEVER taken anything that does not  belong to me!!!!!!!  I have never done what is colloquially called a "five finger discount."  Unlike some I could mention, like Betsy Trebat, back in my high school days!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                 I should add that, dressed the way I was--in summer shorts, black, with a red and white stripe, which did not have especially deep pockets, and these pockets were already jammed with my wallet in my right, and, in my left, a cell phone, pill container, and keys--there was no room for me to put anything in those pockets, even if I wanted to, legitimately or not.  Plus, IF I were going to steal, I would steal quality, honey, and not swag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                   I was livid!!!!!!!  Not only because I was being accused of something I had not done, but because no one could really prove it. and I am not sure who it was that made the initial accusation, which brought the manager forward.  I think it was the young female cashier, who should be bitch slapped across her nasty face!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                      The Asian manager made a sudden apology, saying a mistake had been made, but it was too late; the damage had been done.  He should pay more attention to his aged granny rifling through the neighborhood garbage!!!!!!!! Lickee!!!!!!!!!! Lickee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                        They just lost themselves a semi-regular customer.  So, girls, for those of you who live near here, or go along the Avenue occasionally, I am telling you now to avoid this place!  Put them out of business. Because if this was not a hate crime based on homophobia ( and, to be honest, I don't have enough evidence to prove that!!!!!!!!) then this was some kind of scam scheme they are running there, which I caught them at, because I refused to be intimidated by the likes of these trashy Euros!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                         If something is cheap, loves, there is a reason for it!  And, once again, if it is too good to be true, it usually IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                          Lickee, Lickee, rickshaw houseboy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!