Summary
I was spending the May Day holiday by West Lake in Hangcheng when the police called from my hometown.
“A clothing store has reported you for suspected theft. We need you to cooperate with our investigation.”
I was stunned.
Eight days earlier, I’d bought three pieces of clothing for this trip. I’d paid 999 yuan.
After I sent the police a screenshot of the payment and cleared my name, the store manager didn’t apologize. Instead, he sent me security footage.
“You came in twice, spent ages browsing, and kept touching your bag!”
“We have to pay for anything that goes missing. I had no choice but to call the police.”
“Tell you what. I’ll send you fifty yuan out of my own pocket. We’ll call it settled.”
Fifty yuan?
Did he think I was a beggar?
Since when was taking time to buy three items a crime? Since when was touching my own bag a crime?
I laughed in disbelief.
Then I called the mall’s complaints department and the Administration for Industry and Commerce.
Next, I caught a flight home and marched into that store with his messages printed on roll-up banners.