It started with a pack of Skittles...

A funny thing just happened.

I was walking to the local self-service store three hours ago when I saw three cute little blond boys buying Coke from the shop's outdoor vending machine. I remember thinking how adorable they looked all standing together, each one a bit taller than the other. After I selected my groceries I got to the queue and found the same kids counting their coins to see how many packets of Skittles they could afford. You know how the sweets and chocolates are always conveniently located near the counter. Well, technically they still weren't in the queue so I walked ahead of them. This displeased them greatly so the shortest of the three slowly creeped in front of me. I let him pass. It was only three packets of Skittles anyway.

The woman at the counter was taking ages to handle some delivery papers so the other two boys went outside to wait and cautioned the boy to make sure he pays the right amount. The little boy stood there money already counted in hand and stretched out to pay the amount. However, the cashier called out a different sum and the boy put his hand down in confused determination:-

"But these one's are 43c each and this is 33c!"

He had a distinct American accent about him.

"No, but we put up the price ta! You have €1.20 here. You can take one less if you want.."

She had a typical Maltese accent about her.

The boy opened his wallet and with a dissapointed tone stated that he would take only two packets of Skittles.

As soon as he paid the new sum he politely thanked the lady and without a moment's hesitation grabbed all three packets and told the cashier that he would place the extra packet back on its shelf. With that he walked to the back of the lane.

All seemed to have been solved as I proceeded to the counter myself but then just as quickly as he went back in the little boy dashed back out. The woman called out "Wait you forgot your receipt!!" but the boy just mumbled "Thank You!" as he rushed to his two friends waiting outside.

He had not two but three packets of Skittles in his hand.

I don't think the cashier noticed, but I did!

Funny how one minute you're thinking what a cute little boy and the next he's shoplifting your local self-service store.

But that's life, I guess.

You know what else is funny?

The way we humans in nature like to cheat.

We cheat all the time. In our algebra test, in our final exams, in card games, in love and in business.

For example, just yesterday I purchased a crêpe from a new local crêperie and the cashier tried to cheat me twice!! By the second time it was so painfully obvious what she was doing that I gave up and left the shop minus 50c. But you know what they say? If you lend someone 50c and you never see that person again then it was worth every cent!! Well, this case was different. The money was blatantly stolen from me in broad daylight! But you can bet all you want that I'm never setting foot in that shop again.

About two months ago I was giving an English lesson to foreign students and I passed round a 'FSW'. This stands for 'FIND SOMEONE WHO' and basically is a sheet of paper with instructions for students to find someone who has done or owns the options on the paper. I remember I used to invent these myself and once I thought it would be funny to add 'Find Someone Who has never cheated in an Exam before'. This was done during an Icebreaker session and students had to go around asking each other if they'd ever cheated in an exam amongst other questions in the FSW. I'm telling you my students really struggled to find anyone with that achievement. One of them even exclaimed "Come on! That's impossible!". In fact, the only student (a 30 year old something married Turkish woman) who admitted to have never cheated in an exam was met by non-believers. Just goes to show you. Cheating is as international as Pacman and trees.

But why do we cheat? Are we born cheaters or does it come with practice? Why do some nationalities seem better at cheating than others? Which countries are the best cheaters in sports, in business, in love, in politics? Tell me what you think by commenting below or using the ShoutBox on the right-hand side of the screen.

Also, there are countless songs about cheaters out there. My Top 15 cheaters-in-love songs are:

1. Fleetwood Mac - Dreams
2. Usher - Confessions Part 1 and 2 ( The only reason this isn't number 1 is cause the first is sentimental to me...)
3. Gloria Gaynor - I will Survive
4. The White Stripes - Jolene (Dolly Parton original version is cool too!)
5. Justin Timberlake - Cry me a river
6. Marvin Gaye - I heard it through the grapevine
7. R Kelly - Trapped in the Closet
8. Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good (Every girl should hear this song...)
9. John Legend - Ordinary People
10. Fleetwood Mac - Everybody finds out (I just had to...Stevie Nicks is the best!!)
11. Pearl Jam - Better man
12. Hinder - Lips of an Angel
13. Beyonce - Beautiful liar
14. Rihanna - Unfaithful
15. Kelly Clarkson - Behind these Hazel eyes (someone's gonna shoot me for posting this one LOL)

The worst?

RIHANNA - TAKE A BOW