Clutching their Dillard's shopping bags, Ellen and Kay woefully gazed downat a dead cat in the mall parking lot. Obviously a recent hit---no flies, nosmell. What business could that poor kitty have had here?' murmured Ellen.'Come on, Ellen, let's just go...' But Ellen had already grabbed her shopping bag and was explaining, 'I'lljust put my things in your bag, and then I'll take the tissue.' She dumpedher purchases into Kay's bag and then used the tissue paper to cradle andlower the former feline into her own Dillard's bag and cover it. They continued the short trek to the car in silence, stashing their goods inthe trunk. But it occurred to both of them that if they left Ellen's burialbag in the trunk, warmed by the TEXAS sunshine while they ate, Kay's Luminawould soon lose that new-car smell. They decided to leave the bag on top ofthe trunk, and they headed over to Luby's Cafeteria. After they cleared the serving line and sat down at a window table, they hada view of Kay's Chevy with the Dillard's bag still on the trunk. BUT not forlong! As they ate, they noticed a woman in a red gingham shirt stroll bytheir car, look quickly this way and that, and then hook the Dillard's bagwithout breaking stride. She quickly walked out of their line of vision. Kayand Ellen shot each other a wide-eyed look of amazement. It all happened sofast that neither of them could think how to respond. 'Can you imagine?'finally sputtered Ellen. 'The nerve of that woman!' Kay sympathized withEllen, but inwardly a laugh was building as she thought about the grandsurprise awaiting the red-gingham thief. Just when she thought she'd have to giggle into her napkin, she noticedEllen's eyes freeze in the direction of the serving line. Following hergaze, Kay recognized with a shock the woman with THE Dillard's bag, hangingfrom her arm, brazenly pushing her tray toward the cashier. Helplessly theywatched the scene unfold: After clearing the register, the woman settled ata table across from theirs, put the bag on an empty chair and began to eat.After a few bites of baked whitefish and green beans, she casually liftedthe bag into her lap to survey her treasure. Looking from side to side, butnot far enough to notice her rapt audience three tables over, she pulled outthe tissue paper and peered into the bag. Her eyes widened, and she began tomake a sort of gasping noise. The noise grew. The bag slid from her lap asshe sank to the floor, wheezing and clutching her upper chest. The beveragecart attendant quickly recognized a customer in trouble and sent the busboyto call 911, while she administered the Heimlich maneuver. A crowd quicklygathered that did not include Ellen and Kay, who remained riveted to theirchairs for seven whole minutes until the ambulance arrived. In a matter of minutes the woman emerged from the crowd, still gasping,strapped securely on a gurney. Two well-trained EMS volunteers steered herto the waiting ambulance, while a third scooped up her belongings. The lastthey saw of the distressed cat-burglar, she disappeared behind the ambulancedoors, ...................... the Dillard's bag perched on her stomach!! Sometimes, God does take care of those who do bad things (AND once inawhile..He allows us to witness it.)