The Lesson of the Orange Drink

The other day I was coming back from a homeschool field trip. A friend was following me for the return trip. I called her and told her we were going to pull into the McDonald's drive-thru for a drink. She pulled in behind me and ordered a drink for her son. After I paid for my drink, I asked the girl at the checkout window how much was my friend's order? After all, she probably wouldn't have pulled through and ordered anything if we hadn't stopped. She told me and I gave her the money for her order and told her not to take my friend's money that this was my treat. I pulled up and looked back in the rear-view mirror. To my shock I saw my friend pay. I immediately told the lady giving us our drinks that I wanted to see the manager. The manager came to the window and I told her what just happened. They refunded my friend her money, but the surprise was totally ruined. I very much wanted to get out of my car and go to the window and ask the girl what in the world was she thinking! We were in a hurry to get home, so I didn't. I was just so very disappointed.

Is this what our world is coming to? Surely the girl knew I would see my friend pay. Did she think she could pocket the money and I wouldn't do anything? As a young girl growing up, I would have never ever thought to have done something like this. I would have been thrilled to be able to tell someone that their bill had been taken care of. This girl ruined her reputation and possibly lost her job over the cost of a orange drink. Apparently she was never held accountable for her actions by those who raised her. It was sobering that this girl was a lesson that my boys learned that day. I pray my boys learn all I know to teach them so they don't become an example of what not to do.