Ruth Moody is a kleptomaniac. She's just gotten stopped for pilfering merchandise at a department store. She's also in the "book" that is circulated among department stores in certain cities (or used to be...it's all probably internet based now) of known people with such illnesses. (Anyone remember the old "All in the family" series when Edith Bunker put something in her purse without thinking about it, was caught and photographed for such a book, then later finds something else she wasn't aware of in her purse at home...she screamed to Archie "I'm a klepper" and ran up the stairs. Very moving episode). Ruth's husband is a clean, high up person in the budget office of their city government, and she's very afraid of what might happen to him should her condition become known.

Ruth is contacted by two mysterious men, one quite sunburned, the other (whom she meets in a dump of a downtown hotel) who concoct a scheme to steal a $50,000 diamond necklace. They'll create a diversion in a store, she'll pilfer the necklace and give it to them. She refuses at first, then gives in.

I'm a bit perplexed by how Ruth didn't get into more "trouble" in this episode, but once again this is an interesting display of CBSRMT morals. The two criminals who know of Ruth say she can't help her condition, so she's pretty much not got responsibility for it. Her loving husband confronts her that this is indeed an illness and she needs help for it. He also admits to his own wrongdoing in how he did or didn't treat her earlier. Interesting episode. 