Found: Piece of Cheese, Owner Unclear

Before using something that belongs to another,

we should ask for permission.

If we do not ask, it is stealing.

“Excuse me, sir. I don’t mean to be rude and I certainly don’t wish to bother you. But may I please ask what you are doing with that cheese?”

It was a reasonable question. And very politely asked. But then Cameo was a very polite cat. When her mother was pregnant, the doctor told her she needed to get plenty of rest if she wanted to have healthy kittens. Putting her kittens’ needs first, Cameo’s mother did exactly as she was told. Since she lived in a bookstore, she decided the logical thing to do would be to spend her time reading. And so she read many books.

One of her favorites was on etiquette. She felt that since her kittens would be living with humans, it would be helpful for them to know what humans considered as good behavior. So she diligently studied the book and taught her kittens all about human etiquette.

By listening attentively to her mother, Cameo grew up to be a very polite cat. She would run to greet people as they came into the bookshop, making eye contact as she welcomed them. If they didn’t answer her, she didn’t mind. After all, their thoughts could be elsewhere.

When invited, she would jump up onto the customer’s lap when they sat in the chairs scattered around the shop. She would listen attentively as the customer spoke to her and meowed back her carefully considered responses. When they left, she would slowly walk them to the door to let them know she was sad to see them go.

So it was only logical that when Cameo spoke to the mouse she did so respectfully. “Excuse me, sir. I don’t mean to be rude and I certainly don’t wish to bother you. But may I please ask what you are doing with that cheese?” she queried.

The mouse, who was called Elmer, was so shocked that he dropped the big chunk of Swiss and just stared at her. Never had he met a polite cat. Or one that talked for that matter. He finally blurted out “Huh?” (Unlike Cameo, Elmer did not have the benefit of a good education). Cameo calmly repeated her question and tried to make eye contact, but now Elmer wouldn't look directly at her.

“Uhh, I found it,” he muttered.

Cameo sat down and studied Elmer. “May I ask where you found it?”

This was more than Elmer had bargained for, and he was getting rather worried. His mother just told him to go get the cheese. But she hadn’t warned him about the bookshop cat who thought she was a lawyer.

“On Mr. Rasmussen’s desk,” he stammered.

Cameo said, “Then the cheese must belong to Mr. Rasmussen. Excuse me for asking, but did he say you could have it?”

“No,” Elmer nervously admitted.

“Oh dear. Then you’re stealing it,” concluded Cameo.

Indignantly, Elmer declared, “I’m not a thief! I found it lying on the table. No one was eating it. No one was even around!”

“But if the owner of the cheese did not give it to you, then you took it without permission. And I’m very sorry, but that’s stealing,” Cameo explained.

Elmer’s eye got bigger as he asked “Are you sure? I thought if I found something just lying around, then it didn’t belong to anyone. Finders keepers! So I took it.”

“No. Almost everything belongs to someone. Like that cheese. Before we take something, we need to find and ask the owner first.” Cameo was trying to be kind because clearly Elmer didn’t know that he was doing anything wrong.

“I didn’t think of that. You’re right.” And with that, Elmer began to wail, “Oh no, I am a thief!”

“No, not if you put it back and never take anything again,” Cameo assured him. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure out a way to get the cheese back on the table.”

And that is just what they did. Cameo then promised Elmer that she would never tell anyone what had happened. And Elmer never again took anything without first asking the owner.

Regrettably dear reader, as much as I would like to tell you how they put the cheese back, I cannot. When Elmer told me about this, he made me promise not to tell anyone because that might get a certain bird in trouble. 

Comments

[Sue K]

Very gouda story! :-)