To: I am feeling horrible and uncertain about what I should do.
Me: I understand how you feel and frankly it is something the store manager and everyone who works there does and it seems pretty foolproof to me.
While it is not “right” at the same time, you are part of a total store conspiracy and because you accepted money from “the take” you are as guilty as everyone else, in on this scam and as you rightly observe, with a daily “since the registers balance out”, you really can’t prove anything and if they all sided against you, then you would take the fall and not them, but it won’t stop anything.
The tourists who come to your store are flush with money and they will spend it however they might and they won’t miss the small contribution, they make to your weekly cash take and if they think they got refunded, who is to say otherwise.
Speaking for myself, I’d be inclined to accept whatever you are given and put it towards something nice for yourself, a car, or a cash payment towards a house and paying it off and if ever you are questioned about it say: “I want a Lawyer” and DON’T say anything else to the police, because anything you might admit to, will be used against you in a court of law and everything you do say, is recorded anyway by a secret camera in the room where you are interviewed, so if anyone you know, tries to draw you into a conversation, in that room, say absolutely nothing, because again, whatever you say is recorded and will be used against you.
Ultimately, if anything comes unglued, it will be at the store managers level and not yours, so leave the responsibility with him and DO NOT WORRY – as this seems to have been going on for some time, so I’d say everything is down pat and secure.
If you continue to have emotional issues about what is going on, then the best thing you can do is find another job, somewhere else and when you do, put this behind you and NEVER speak about it to ANYONE afterwards.
“Polk County sheriff’s office” has a reputation for being tough on crime (and I don’t even live in America – seen them on a TV series), so if I were you, even more reason to play along with the rest of the store workers, accept whatever you are given and leave as soon as you can – although if you do, I think you are crazy, because having taken from the cookie jar, it could always be used against you, at any time in the future, irrespective of where you go, so better to be part of the team, than divorced from it – learn to overcome your fears and continue as you are, is my advice.
If you are having troubles dealing with your emotions and not sleeping, go and see your doctor and have him put you on a course of anti depressant tablets – don’t say why you need them, just say troubles at home, or some other excuse – you will find that anti depressant tablets, once they are in your system, will take away all of your concerns, you will be able to think clearly and easily be able to set your mind aside, from the issues which concern you now.
I have been on anti depressant tablets for almost 20 years and I enjoy the peace and tranquility they give me – it is just as if your mind is encased in clouds of cotton wool.
I take 2 x Paxtine (Paroxetine 20mg) daily and a packet has 30 tablets in it and once you are on anti depressant tablets you can’t just stop taking them.
When you decide you want to go off them, any anti depressant tablets, then you have to reduce your dosage by 1/4 of a tablet, each week, until you are off them altogether – there is no other way, without doing mental harm to yourself.
What happens in the store, stays in the store and you NEVER tell anyone about it, outside of the store – OK?
