The Goat Pen

Winston, with his long-distance girlfriend in town, went to get some wings and crab legs. He went to Publix, ordered the crab legs, then left to go to Hobbit Hoagies for wings (down the road, which he paid for), then came back to Publix, with the car running in the rain to grab the crab legs. He got some butter, and the crab legs, and was mobbed for autographs by fans in the Publix (this is not uncommon around town as Winston is a huge celebrity). Cameron notes that Winston was mistaken in thinking he could quickly go in and out of any place in Tallahassee without signing autographs and taking pictures.

Winston signs autographs, takes pictures, gets distracted, puts the butter down in doing so, picks up the crab legs, and calmly walks out of Publix talking to a police officer, crab in hand, not trying to hide anything. When he gets home, he realizes he didn't get the butter for his crab legs, and realizes he didn't pay for the crab legs. He doesn't go back to pay for them, and admitted as much. If Winston were trying to shoplift, he probably doesn't walk out, crab legs in hand, talking with a police officer. It's possible, but unlikely.

It's worth noting that Publix was close to closing time, the weather in Tallahassee Tuesday night was nasty (raining a bunch), and that Winston's girlfriend, whom he does not get to see all that often, was in town. Those aren't necessarily excuses for not going back, but are perhaps reasons why someone in a similar situation wouldn't choose to go back to the store that night.

We do not know if Winston would have ever gone back to pay for the crab legs if given the chance.

Jungle Rat wrote:I once left a gas station without paying. Never would have realized it had I not noticed the pump still attached to my car the next morning. I didn't go back.