Come Saturday, we followed our usual routine—breakfast, shopping, and then, as predicted, that well-timed buzz. Jason reached for his phone, ready to make his escape. But when he saw who was calling, he froze.
“Bank Fraud Department,” the screen read in bold letters. His eyes widened. “Aren’t you going to answer?” I asked sweetly.
I tapped my smartwatch, activating the call. On speaker, my voice played: “Hello, Jason. We’ve detected suspicious behavior—specifically, avoiding checkout by pretending to get work calls.”
The cashier stifled a laugh. Jason turned bright red. And for the first time in months, he stayed put and paid the full bill: $389.76.
On the way to the car, the silence was loud. Finally, he muttered, “That was low.”
I smiled. “Lower than disappearing every time it’s your turn to pay?”
We both laughed, and he admitted, “Alright. No more fake calls.”
Since then, grocery shopping has changed. Jason now pulls out his wallet without hesitation—and sometimes even offers to pay before we reach the register. He even places his phone face-down, just in case.
We’ve found humor in the moment and, more importantly, balance in our teamwork. And while I keep my smartwatch charged just in case, I haven’t needed it—because sometimes, all it takes is a little creativity (and a gentle wake-up call) to remind someone how to show up.