One foot in the slammer!!!

I will never forget that day when the big candy shakedown took place. I must have been about nine years old. My brother and I learned a big lesson that day. Something changed! I can't exactly put my finger on it though. Maybe the realities of right and wrong, the consequences of the choices we make, or maybe the guidelines to choosing good friends.

In Bear Valley there is one small convenient store that carries just about everything. I only remember the candy section, the rest is a bit of a blur. Next to the store is a big gymnasium that hosted dances, sporting events, and all types of activities. It was the place to be, everyone hung out there. We spent a lot of time there growing up in that small town.

We were to be picked up by my grandparents that day. My parents were away on some type of vacation. We hooked up with a couple of our friends who had this great plan. I don't remember exactly how we got sucked into this thing but the next thing I knew we were part of this shakedown. There were about 8 to 12 kids in total. We all went in for the first hit.

I remember an older lady behind the counter, she wasn't really paying much attention to us. We all started stuffing our pockets and shirts with as much candy as we could. I think one of the kids bought like a nickel candy so at least we bought something. We brought the stash to the top of this hill and made a big pile. We were proud! It was time for the second hit.

The lady this time was on the phone speaking to someone, no big deal!! Or so we thought. We filled up again, this time we didn't even go for the decoy of buying even a nickel candy. We headed back up to the hill and poured our spoils onto the now Mt. Everest of candy. At that moment the fun stopped and reality hit us like a freight train in the form of a big police jeep that pulled in right next to the store.

I never ran so fast!! We ran in all different directions. My brother and I and a few others headed for the gym. We grabbed a ball, threw off our shoes and started playing any old game. My heart was pumping very hard. "Wrong" "bad" "evil" "guilt" filled me to the rim. I wanted to cry but I knew I couldn't. The police chief opened the door to the gym and looked around with peering eyes. The gym for some reason was more crowed on this day than any other day in the 20 years that we lived there, thank G-d!!

He stayed there for about a minute or two! I thought for sure he had us. We were done!! What would our parents do? What would the town think of us now? We were known as the good kids!! We were good kids!! What had we become? And just like that, he left!!!! We were free!! We made it!! Or did we??

My brother and I never got to eat even one of those candies from that stash. The older kids said that the animals got to them. I believed it! I remember trying to go to sleep that night. It wasn't easy. I knew I did bad!! I was a thief! With such a great upbringing! All the morals that were driven into me. How did I do such a thing?

I am not sure about the other kids, but I know that's the last thing my brother and I ever stole. It haunted us for many many years to follow. There is still a pocket of guilt deep inside us that wishes we never partook in such a scandal. To this day I think we are both to ashamed to tell our parents. Maybe they can still punish us at the ages of 37 and 39!!

In a strange kind of way this whole shakedown made us into better people. We chose our friends more wisely. We learned that there are consequences to our actions and the choices we make. It was a wake up call!! It was quite heavy for a 9 and 11 year old.