Opinion : Letter to the Editor: Crossing paths with a dishonest Christmas customer

I would like to address my remarks to the Big Box Store Customer with whom I had the misfortune of crossing paths.

Dear Costumer,

Last week I purchased a number of boxes of Christmas lights. On Tuesday I pulled out the tree and the boxes of new lights. The first box I opened reeked of mice. I unraveled them and plugged them in; only a quarter of the strand worked. Of the six boxes of new lights two of them reeked of mice and most of the lights did not work.

I have a hard time believing that you had the nerve to purchase new lights, painstakingly rewrap your old ones, shove them in the box, and take the time to return to the store and stand in line for a refund!! Now you are asking me, how I know that they were pre-owned lights. The reek of mice, the lack of paper work/instructions and extra light bulbs in the box, the wrong color of twist tie, and the ends plugged together were pretty good indications however, that is not what convinced me of your licentious deed. No, it was the white Christmas tree flock that was still attached to the wires that actually gave it away.

Did you think that you were fleecing the Big Box Store? Did you feel entitled because the Big Box Store makes big money? Did you think that no one would notice your dishonest behavior? Did you think you weren’t hurting anyone?
You are personally responsible for derailing my day because I had to return the lights to the store where I purchased them in Cedar Rapids before I could continue with setting up the Christmas tree. You are responsible for the wasted time and gas that it took in order to return them because I live in VINTON. You and everyone else who has done this and similar pernicious deeds are responsible for contributing to the cancer of our society that is dishonesty and disregard for others. This experience has put a serious damper on my holiday spirit and left me wondering how anyone could stoop to new levels of debasement and go through so much trouble to not spend $2.30 per box of lights.
I hope that if you ever find yourself on the receiving end of someone else’s dishonesty that you will consider your actions and that the experience will make you a better person.

No thanks for the Ba humbug!

Stephonie K. Williams