Lies Never get you Anywhere

All names and identifying details have been changed and any resemblance to actual persons or events is entirely coincidental. I've been waiting to tell this story. It's a good one.

A young woman brought in a kitten one night because it had been attacked by her dog. The kitten was breathing heavily and was unable to stand, so we placed it in a warm cage with oxygen while speaking with the owner.

The owner was a 5 ft tall Hispanic woman with short shorts, long hair, and about 10 months pregnant. She was incredibly distraught about her kitten. She could not sit still, was drinking coffee like it was her job, and kept checking her cell phone. She was likely a tweaker according to more informed sources. (I had to look this up, it means meth user).  Yep, and she was pregnant. And had two other young kids at home. What a Bad Mother.

She signed an estimate for over one thousand dollars, after it was made clear that by signing it she was required to pay that amount. She went out to the front desk and said she didn't have any money or credit cards or ID because she forgot her wallet, as she was in such a rush to get the kitten to the hospital. She went out to her car and made some phone calls. 

In a few minutes she came back in with a credit card number, and lo and behold, she managed to find her ID.

Receptionist Extraordinaire: "Is your name on the credit card?"

Bad Mother: "Yeah."

Receptionist Extraordinaire: "Are you sure, because when I punch it in the name will come up."

Bad Mother: "Oh...uhh no its my boyfriends."

Receptionist Extraordinaire: "Well can your boyfriend come down here?"

Bad Mother: "No, he doesn't have a car. I could go get him."

Receptionist Extraordinaire: "Unfortunately you can't leave while your pet is here unless you leave a deposit."

Bad Mother went out to the care to make some more phone calls. Soon enough a squealing of tires was heard as she drove out of the parking lot as fast as possible.

Receptionist Extraordinaire called her cell phone. Bad Mother answered. She said, "Oh, I just went to Jack-in-the-Box to get something to eat." Really? Because you told us you had no cash. 

A while later, a Small Man came in the door and said he was there to pay the balance for Bad Mother. Receptionist Extraordinaire walked away from the desk for a few minutes, and the small man looked around, spotted a donation box, grabbed it, put it under his shirt and ran out of the building, which we all saw on camera.

Yup.

The next day, the owner of the hospital called the woman to tell her that we would be pressing charges against the theif, unless he returned the donation box.

Meanwhile, the kitten was slightly improved, and was able to stand, eat, drink, poop etc.

A day or two later, Bad Mother showed up with a Big Guy. A guy different from the one who stole the box. We knew this because, as before mentioned, the first guy was small. Short and squat. The guy she showed up with, well, let's just say you wouldn't want to come across him in a dark alley.

When they showed up, we called the cops.

Well, we only said we wouldn't press charges, not that we wouldn't report them. We asked Bad Mother to sign the kitten over to the hospital. Meanwhile, the cops talked to them both. Then the cops searched their cars. This was allowed because as it turns out, Big Guy is wanted on drug charges. Sure enough, the cops uncover meth in the guys car, and he is escorted off to jail.

The kitten was adopted and is doing great.

I would just like to point out that this would NEVER have happened if Bad Mother had just told the truth at the beginning. We could have reduced the estimate or tried to work with her so she could afford the care.  Lying never gets you anywhere. Truthfully, the kitten deserves a better life than she could have given it so I'm glad it all happened. Plus it makes for a good story.