Checks and balances

Last weekend, as duly noted in this space, Leina went shopping for new bed supplies.
Perhaps it was not mentioned that Leina was not alone--she went with Erica, her new roommate (and biographer's sister) Angie, and Erica's mother, Mrs. Turner. Leina had fastidiously clipped Bed Bath and Beyond coupons for 20% off from the newspaper and mailings that she'd received over the past few months, and though some were beyond the experation date, she'd been told that the staff always overlooks that (and they did), so she was able to get 20% off all her big ticket items (including the $40 pillow, so in fairness, it was only $32, but it is little--littler than it appeared in the earlier photo).

Mrs Turner, thinking that Leina received 20% off everything, asked Leina to include a simple $25 nonstick frying pan in her purchase. Leina was happy to oblige. A few days later, Mrs Turner realized that she'd never paid Leina for the frying pan, and embarassingly, that Leina did not get 20% off the frypan, either. So she gave her husband (Mr. Turner) a check made out to Leina for the full amount of the frypan, plus tax. Mr. Turner did his duty and passed the check on to Leina.

Did Leina, upon receiving the check, rejoice regarding the reinbursement, and rapidly remit the refund to her checking account? No. Leina, operating on a code of honor unknown in these parts, refused to accept the check. She attempted to return it to Mr. Turner, who wisely held up his hands and said "This is between you two. I'm staying out of this." Did she relent and just accept the check, since there was no logical reason for her not to? Did she tear up the check and send a curt email mentioning that it was her pleasure?

Leina, the good person that she is, drove over to the Turners' house, and hand-returned the check to Mrs. Turner, who was not particularly happy to see her. In fact, Leina went "on the s___ list," according to an email composed the same day by Mrs. Turner.

Nevertheless, Leina was invited over to dinner at the Turners' this evening, where she ate stuffed roast boneless leg of lamb, polenta with black pepper and roasted pears, and bibb salad. Leina brought blueberries. While watching the Oscars and complaining about how Memoirs of a Geisha used a Chinese actress to play a Japanese role, Mrs. Turner was introduced to the blog, and commented, according to Angie, how Tony "has too much time on his hands."