Wiping With Honesty

Over memorial weekend I happened across one of my favorite go-to cloth diaper sites, cottonbabies.com, and discovered their limited offer of free shipping.

I'm kind of a sucker for free shipping.

And since I had just previously sold a bundle of diapes on Craigslist a mere couple of days prior, I promptly decided to make up for that mildly generous surplus in my PayPal account by purchasing 3 new fancy dancy diapes (in better, more vibrant colors might I add).

The package containing my new diapers arrived on my doorstep in a timely manner and I ripped that puppy open and immediately slapped one on the Budder Ball. I liked what I saw. A baby with incredibly skinny thighs all wrapped up in nothing but a color-popping accessory that happens to be as functional & environmentally sound as it is economically savvy, no guilt in that purchase.

PayPal money well spent.

The very next day another familiar package appeared. What's this? I sprang to the kitchen to retrieve the kitchen shears because they are my tool of all things in need of cutting, snipped the bag open and beheld in my hands 3 more beautiful diapes!

GLORIOUS!

Maybe it's a cloth diapering mother's obsession, in fact I'm sure it must be, but there's nothing quite like the arrival of fresh new diapers. But my glee was too short lived because I knew I hadn't placed the order for these 3 late arrivals. I checked our accounts to make sure. Bank of America-nope, no charges. PayPal- nope, just the one fee. Were these diapes sent to me by a diaper genie who just so happened to overhear my vivid wishings?

Maybe!?

Is it devilish of me to admit I was reaaaally torn with the dilemma that had presented itself?

Probably.

In seeped justification mode. I mean, what's the huge harm? They are a gigantic company with a wide range of products, would they really miss 3 measly diapers?

Cottonbabies was closed for business for the day, so the dilemma was left to stew overnight. When I awoke I knew what I had to do. As I reluctantly dialed the number I secretly wished(again with the wishing) I would be handsomely rewarded for my honesty. I envisioned the conversation going a little something like this:

Me: "...and so you see these diapers arrived on my doorstep, and I knew I hadn't placed a second order, so I wanted to call and let you know of the mistake that has been made."

CB: "Oh my, Mrs. Vaisey, our apologies. With our free shipping offer orders came flooding in and we got a little busy. Thank you so much for your honesty. People like you are hard to come by these days. Your mother must be so proud! Please keep the diapers, really, you deserve it.

The conversation didn't go as such. Instead the customer service rep informed me she was going to send a return label and if I could please send the diapers back promptly. Ugh. I hung up the phone feeling twirked. How could she not reward such a noble gesture?

Truth is, I didn't deserve any reward. Even though I did do the "right" thing, it was to the tune of something like Lena sharing her precious belongings with Simon. I wanted to keep those diapers all for myself and sleep with them tucked under my pillow at night. When the fateful day came, I rounded up the diapers, said my goodbyes, opened the return envelope and much to my surprise found the following:

Ummm, OK I feel stupid.

I sat there reading the note and the shame poured in. As I pondered that small gesture of thanks, I snapped out of my selfish coma and wondered how could I have been so close to pure deception? Justification is a slippery slope my friends, one I too often times come crashing down upon. Valuable lesson learned here to say the least.

So, the very next time I happen to be faced with similar circumstances, whatever they may be (perhaps the accidental delivery of a madsen cycle to my home) or whenever I am wiping bum cheeks with my new stash of flannel wipes I'll remember than honesty is in fact the best policy. Its heavenly rewards shall "wipe the floor" with its earthly scales any day.