Chapter 21 – Magician in the Grocery Store

One day while I was standing in the produce department of my local supermarket, a young man walked up and said, “Excuse me, ma’am.”
       Uh-oh, I thought. He’s going to ask for money.
       However, he simply held up two large cans of baby milk formula and said, “I’m trying to decide which kind of baby formula I should buy for my son. Should I buy this one with iron or this other one without iron?”
      “Well,” I said, “what kind does your wife usually buy?”
       “Oh, my wife left, and she’s doing whatever she’s doing, and I’m just trying to raise my son by myself. He was born premature, but he’s doing better; I just want to help him grow and be strong.”
       “Aw,” I said. “That’s tough. What does his doctor or nurse say?”
       “Oh, that clinic is on the other side of town; it’s too far and too hard to get an appointment.”
       “Well,” I said, “iron can cause digestive problems, so I wouldn’t buy any with iron unless a doctor suggests it. Is your son eating any solid foods yet?”
       “No, he’s just drinking milk.”
       “Really?” I said. “How old is he?”
       “He’s a year old.”

       “Oh,” I said, “he should be eating some solid foods by now. You could give him some plain cooked cereal, and if he handles that, you could then give him some cereal with iron. Again, though, I wouldn’t do that unless a doctor or nurse suggests it.”
       “Oh,” he said, “that’s a good idea. Thank you so much; you’ve really been helpful.”
       His cell phone rang, and he turned and left. I continued my shopping, pleased that I had been able to use my knowledge of public health and experience as a mother to help someone.
       He must have been a magician, though, because when I opened my purse at the checkout stand, my wallet had disappeared. In the next forty-five minutes, he and his accomplice, who had apparently done the actual lifting of the wallet, spent $500 on new tires, a battery, assorted items from Target, and even coffee from Starbucks.
       Learning how to avoid being conned is an important basic skill. Lesson number one is to slow down, pay attention, and not swallow everything from a stranger before sharing your brilliant knowledge.
       Lesson number two. Be more suspicious when someone says something that doesn’t make sense, such as a story about a one-year-old child who isn’t eating solid food.
       Lesson number three. Keep the contact information for your bank and credit card company in your cell phone or at least separate from your wallet to avoid wasting valuable time searching for them when reporting the theft or loss.