The Root of All Evil

I recently bought a game at a Christian bookstore. We were having a bunch of people from our church over to our house and I wanted to try out Bible Scattegories. I bought it on a whim and found that I had buyer’s remorse when I looked at the receipt for the $35 game. It was that and the fact that my wife had some issues with spending that much money on a game we’d probably use once. So I decided to return it at the next opportunity. But the problem is that I feel bad returning things to a Christian bookstore. It’s like I told them I wanted something, and it turned out I was a lying. And usually when I return something to a store, they don’t ask me why I’m returning it. Most stores just ask, "Do you have your receipt?" and "Was there anything wrong with the item?" But apparently, Christian bookstores are too nice to be so impersonal. So the lady at the counter said, "You want to return it? Well was there something we could have done better the next time you come in?" And that made me feel worse.

Usually when I return something, I can say "it doesn’t fit" or "I just don’t want this." But at a Christian store, I feel like I need to be more specific so they know I’m telling the truth. So I had to say, "Well, I had second thoughts when I realized how expensive it was." I felt like I was going back on my word. I had seen the price and agreed to buy the game anyway. So I was essentially admitting that I wasn’t a responsible adult. And she looked at me with this expression like she’d let me down. Like she should have personally made my last trip more enjoyable, so I wouldn’t have to return the item. She was so desperate that I felt like my purchase was keeping them in business. And then she asked the question that made me feel like the biggest jerk in the world. She said, "So do you want to put it back on your debit card or would you like store credit?"

I knew they didn’t have anything else I wanted to buy for $35 in a Christian bookstore, so store credit would be a waste. But I also knew that picking the debit card would break her heart. I figured I’d rather let this nice stranger down than show up at home with $35 worth of inspirational postcards or something. So I told her to return the money onto my card. I felt so horrible. She’d given me one chance to show that I cared and I shot that right out of the air. It was like we were at the end of a first date and she offered to give me her number but I said, "No thanks." I felt like I had tricked the store with a false sale just so I could say "Psyche! Ha ha! You thought I cared, but I didn’t! Suckers!" My shoulder angel was probably really ashamed of me.

So from now on, I’m just gonna buy Bible games on eBay so I can save myself the guilt if I change my mind.