Аннотация: A Biblical wisdom (about the lentil stew) and a bar of nobody's soap. A psychological story.
A Biblical wisdom (about the lentil stew) and a bar of nobody's soap. A psychological story.
Earlier I talked about two situations in supermarkets.
The first is or a two-ruble pen rolled up [hided itself] in a cart under wrapping paper, or something like that. The guard brought [escorted] me back to the checkout, where I paid for this product (which at first was unnoticed by me) without any objection.
The second case was the purchase from some nonresidents (this was evident from them, and they themselves said that they had to rush to the airport for a flight) several silver coins. Shortly before that, I was standing in the city center at a kiosk where various coins were sold. A weird coincidence. It was as if the coin sellers knew of my interest and they approached me specifically. I showed weakness - I acquired.
But the most interesting is not this. Around the same time, a historical program was broadcast on one of the capital's radio stations, which said that a certain person with a surname or the same as mine, or with a similar one (to the point of complete coincidence), - he (person) - even before the revolution (1917), - he was caught stealing and he got under court.
It would be interesting to have a printout of this historical program. It would be interesting to have archival materials as well. It is advisable to accurately read the spelling of the surname and all the information - whether there were 'permutations of the meaning' ?... Maybe there was no trial, or they tried not the one who is guilty (but - the innocent one), or they tried another person, with a different surname - after all, I was recently called (in an official letter) "Zelessky" (so, there can be changes in spelling and in sounding).
This radio station is currently out of service. Her boss seems to be on some sort of list. Perhaps the employees of this radio station now have a free time - I would be very happy to receive (or officially acquire for a moderate fee - but only if this is not assessed as the my financing of harmful individuals) the relevant materials.
All journalists need to be paid for their work...
Today I would like to talk about the third case.
This third case seemed to me deserving of description not in itself. But as an illustration to the biblical story about the birthright, which was sold for a bowl of lentil stew.
One of the biblical heroes was very tired and hungry. His brother offered to sell the birthright for a bowl of soup.
The original owner of the birthright agreed - due to hunger and fatigue.
Events turned out so that I went to the supermarket, being hungry. At that moment I felt myself very tired.
I picked up the goods (which I needed) into the basket. I went to the checkout and I stood in a queue.
A woman was standing in front of me. Before her a huge pile of various goods lay on a tape.
It seems that she paid several thousand rubles for everything and went on about her business.
When I began to put the goods into my bag (after they were passing through the scanner and checkout), I saw that among my goods was a bar of soap. It was obvious from the wrapper and smell that the soap was expensive.
I could to not notice this someone else's soap, and I could discreetly put it in my bag.
However, the story with the "precision", "accurate" coin sellers apparently worked.
I moved item after item into my bag. Both hunger and fatigue were affecting me in the most negative way.
The soap, which I didn't need, could be [could appear] into my bag.
I will not say that I managed to cope with the absurd temptation. But added to the temptation was the desire to experiment.
I decided to check the situation through the saleswoman.
With a kind smile, I pushed the soap to the saleswoman (at the checkout) and said that the soap looked like a present - a present to her personally.
What will she do, - will she give me the soap?
Will she be happy and she will take the "gift"?
Or will she at least smile in response to a disguised compliment?
The saleswoman busily told me that somebody of the buyers forgot the soap.
So, she saw the soap. She knew that it was someone else's soap.
However, she did not mind that the soap lay in the middle of the things I paid for.
This small situation allowed me to make sure once again that the state [feeling] of hunger and fatigue is not the best period for resolving any issues.
How many people accidentally are putting someone else's product in their bags - after other customers who have moved away from the checkout? Maybe such situation happens with a one person per day in every supermarket? How much such situations happen in Russia per year or per month? Everyone has weaknesses...
Of course, an expensive and good-smelling soap is a more significant item when compared with a two-ruble ballpoint pen. A stealing a ballpoint pen is somehow not a significant event. An expensive soap - it sounds more convincing.
As Yuri Trifonov wrote about the meeting at which he was expelled from the Komsomol for hiding his repressed father in the questionnaire - the formal accusations - it's not enough. It is important to get to the bottom ['up to the heart'] and to show the internal rottenness of the character. (Yu.V. Trifonov. An overturned house. Seven travels. A short stay in a torture chamber.) (Ю.В. Трифонов. Опрокинутый дом. Семь путешествий. Недолгое пребывание в камере пыток.)
Not many people can hope for the mention of their own name by the metropolitan radio station.
So it is useful to read the Bible more often, to memorize and to recall biblical texts.
September 12, 2022 15:42
Translation from Russian into English: September 12, 2022 17:00.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Библейская мудрость (о чечевичной похлёбке) и кусок ничейного мыла. Психологический рассказ'.