Was it Wrong?

The story I'm about to confess is borderline criminal.  It was innocent in execution, but the results were nothing less of a misdemeanor ... against the State of Utah.

As many know, the alcohol in Utah is state regulated.  To get it, you need to go the the state liquor stores.  Not all booze though, some (mainly beer and malt beverages with the regulated alcohol content) can be found in the local grocery stores.  So because the liquor is regulated by the state shows my actions to be against Utah, but again, innocently.

It began as any normal liquor store run.  Christmas season is the best time to run to the liquor store, because for the same price as the actual spirits cost, you can also get a complimentary glass wrapped in a nice gift set.  We strolled through the aisles collecting our drinks for the next month or so.  When finished we went to the cashier's line.  After some small talk about the "cute gift set" we were on our way.  We purchased:

1     Smirnoff Rasberry Vodka  ~$12.00
1     Pack of Henry Weinhards Blue Boar Pale Ale  ~$6.00
1     Bombay Saphire Gin  ~ $21.00
1     Stolichnaya "Stoli's" Vodka (Gallon sized) ~ regularly about $50.00 but on sale for $36.00
1     Tequila Rose gift set (for a Christmans present)  ~$10.00

TOTAL  ~$38.00!! (Doesn't add up, right?)

As a bit of insight to how I make purchases, I'm don't really pay attention to the total when it's presented, I just sign on the dotted line and continute my journey through life.  It's a gift because I can purchase without guilt, and it's a curse because it's put me in a bind on more that a few occasions.  However, during this little my wife mumbled, "Thrity-eight dollars?" when the cashier presented us with our total.  To which I didn't reply, but quickly glanced at cashier's screen.

At this point I realized that something was out of place.  I studied the screen as quickly as I could and recounted our shopping list before the cashier's hand pressed a button to make it blank again.  She didn't ring up the "Stoli's."  As my adrenaline began to flow into my brain, my wife and I glanced at each other and silently asked if we should mention something.  We remained silent, and left the store knowing the act that had just taken place in the past 37 seconds was, in fact, criminal.

This is where I restate my question to the reader, "Was it wrong?"  Should we have mentioned something?  In my defense, if it weren't for my wife, I wouldn't have EVER noticed.  Maybe I should ask, "Is the crime commited if the criminal is completely oblivious to the crime?"  But the fact remains, my wife did notice and actually said something.  The situation and determination to the crime can be looked at in two ways.

First, the cashier stole from the store.  By failing to properly ring up items at the register, the cashier was giving away free liquor without the expressed authorization of the state/store.  Whereby, she is the criminal.

Second, we are criminal for not abiding by the "good samaritan" laws stated in the social contract ingrained into us from childhood.  "Do unto others." and "Don't steal."

We discussed our decision and laughed about it the entire trip home.  We were excited.  It wasn't a simple mistake.  It was a $50.00 bottle of quality alcohol!  After we arrived home to check the receipt once again, we noticed she didn't charge us for the gift set either.

For the time being, we will simply state, the cashier commited the crime.  But because of our amazing upbringing, we will be punished for her crime because she was completely oblivious to it.  Because the universe must remain balanced, a crime was commited and a punishment must be given.  We will be punished for it  through our tainted conciences.  But because the crime was innocently commited, I'll sleep just fine.