I thought it was something I said

Marilyn

.....not her real name

 

 

In 2005 I became a workout freak

 

I was very disciplined about my diet and exercise

 

paid off with good results....I looked good

 

That year I saw a good friend in the grocery store

 

she walked right by me....didn't even recognize me

How'd you do it? she asked

Hard work I told her

 

 

 

 For years we had worked hot lunch at school every week

 

We adored each other.

 

 

She married a Lutheran boy,even though she was a strict Catholic

 

we used to laugh about that....I said all the Catholics girls stole all the Lutheran boys

 

She was so much fun to be with.

 

But she always complained about her weight and her bad complexion....

We were friends until our children graduated and went to high school
She was a situation friend I guess....the situation of grade school lunch had brought us together as pals

 

So when I spotted her years later again in the grocery store
 

I was shocked to see how wonderful she looked

...thin....great haircut.....clothes that fit her perfectly
make-up and earrings

 

I tried to get through the checkout quickly

to try and catch up with her,

but it wasn't meant to be that day

I somehow wished it was something that I had said to her
 so many years ago
that had inspired her

Oh ego......it wasn't

Last year I was skimming through our local paper and stopped
to read and re-read an article about a woman charged with
stealing from her employer
it was Marilyn

After getting over my shock, I remembered the week she had gotten that job
A job that she hoped would help her family
She started happily at $7.50 an hour
She hadn't worked since she had gotten married.
and she was thrilled to start a new phase in her life

I also remembered the times I kidded her about how lucky she was to be Catholic
Yea, she said......I can be bad then go to confession

She had stolen almost a million dollars from her dear employer
who I am sure cried, like I did, when he found out.......she was the kind of person everyone liked
even loved

Now that is not a small amount of money


I still can't believe it...
but I saw her mug shot online
and an article about how she had set up a separate account where she deposited
her employers checks to herself
...thus the lavish living and good looking style
I often think if I would have picked something up about her if I had
been able to catch up with her that day at the store.

probably not.....

I hadn't been an inspiration to her after all

I only bring this up because of all my writing lately
I made my list
I have written 3 short stories so far
read until my eyeballs are about to fall out
Made my list of things
I hate, fear and love

Marilyn appeared on that list

...on the rumblings list  (that's my category)

I think of Marilyn every time I work out or go to the store
....if this could happen to her ..could it happen to anyone...
...I sat down and wrote a story

 Marilyn....she got 7 years in prison