What do I say to my elderly parents when I am guilty of something? They won't be able to handle it ...

If any of you remember the question I asked about the shoplifter friend of mine—well, I am he. It takes too much vulnerability to admit this.

I am 52 years old and never stole anything in my life until I got desperate for food and cannot even pay bills. Yes, help from social services is available but it will take several weeks and I do not know how much financial help I will qualify for.

They did not prosecute—which was graceful of them—partially because I cooperated, confessed everything, didn’t lie or deny anything— and except in recent weeks have been a good customer and well known in that store for many years.

The store banned me with a Criminal Trespass, meaning that I will go to jail if I go back into the store. My parents shop at this store and I take them. There are other stores we could shop at but this is the one they know. They are in bad health and neither could take this news. I would confess to them freely if they could handle it. I have been an honest person most of my life and wouldn’t have ever done this, as it became a sudden problem since December.

I am thinking about telling them I was falsely apprehended and that what was taken without scanning was accidental. But in their condition, I would not want them to try to handle this themselves as they might do. I shopped at this store for over 30 years before having this problem.

Truth is, I’m guilty as hell and can deal with the consequences myself. I learned from it. I can move on. I respect the store for what they did, and for once in my life I was the bad guy and my accuser the good. Anyone who knows about this would be shocked but my parents—elderly and feeble and needing my help—it would shake everything they know and believe about me to the core.