Innocently Beeping

Not too long ago my trips to the drug store, grocery store, book store and other shops had changed. Visiting these businesses had begun to cause me to feel like a guilty criminal caught red-handed with freshly stolen merchandise.

Upon entering certain establishments, I was setting off the store alarm. I would be unnoticed upon entry, however, I would create massive attention during getaway (or exit). Whenever shopping with me, my family began to be purposeful in exiting stores separately from me. The embarrassment that I was creating was becoming unbearable for them.

I had been asked multiple times by store clerks if I was wearing Old Navy merchandise. No. (And if I was, I had already learned to cut off that 'extra' tag that causes impromptu beeping from store security alarms.) Perhaps my cell phone was on. No, that wasn't it either.

While visiting Toronto last weekend I removed some gift cards from my purse and left them in my van while venturing off on a shopping day. No beeping!!!! I found the cause of my problem!! It was amazing. I entered stores as a regular consumer and exited completely unnoticed. My innocence had been reclaimed! What a relief to enter and exit business establishments as a normal every day woman and not a sought-after criminal. Phew!

Today it all changed. At Shoppers. Before I exited my van, I retrieved the gift cards that cause rampant store beeping from my purse and placed them in our coin tray (ash tray). I entered the store and enjoyed complete silence as I passed successfully through the dreaded security beeper. I found my items and paid for them. I cheerfully departed the cashier and innocently began to walk towards the exit doors.

Then it happened.

I BEEPED!!

But, this time the store clerk was not going to allow me to escape. Oh no, not her. She was going to do her job as she was trained. She was going to ensure that anyone who 'beeped' would be thoroughly examined.

I had to walk through the alarm arbour without my purse to see if I was hiding anything on my person. No beeping.

I stepped through with my cell phone. (My idea.) No beeping.

I then stepped through again with my purse. BEEPING!

I opened my purse to assure the store clerk that no store items were hidden. The store clerk was not appeased. However, she let me know that I could go this time, but must check at home to see what could be causing the beeping.

WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THE BEEPING?!? How should I know?? If it was that simple I would have removed the 'beeping' item a long time ago!!

As I made my way back to my vehicle, I smiled as I saw my husband and daughter enjoying a front row seat as they had been watching my interrogation.

Perhaps some day soon stores will develop a security system that only 'beeps' when unpurchased items from their store are taken through. So others like me are not innocently beeping.