I know one is not supposed to covet thy neighbor's wife or husband, but what about donkeys? Is stealing a baby donkey, say, for one or two days simply to hold it and squeeze it so bad? I would leave a note, I only live a mile away, and I have her brother Pino, bred from the same mother and father donkey. Surely he should meet his little sister and have some relationship with her...
I stole some gum once when I was age five. Actually, I did not steal it - I thought it was free, as I told my mother that it was just right out there on the counter top when my Dad was checking out at our family hardware store. On the same outing, I also took a red dog collar rimmed with fake diamonds which was hanging in a cardboard display at the checkout. My intentions were to give it to our family poodle, so I was perplexed when I was admonished for taking free things and wanting to share with those I loved. My parents sat me down and explained what I did was wrong, and this was a store we went into almost every weekend and we had a relationship with these people. I was very upset, as the red collar suited my poodle so much - red was her color. So they trotted me back there, and my father explained to the owner. It was family run, and the older mother of the clan, grandmotherly, squeezed my cheeks and said 'Oh that's all right honey, take them home with you.' Not exactly what my parents had intended to reinforce the lesson...
So, that memory popped into my head as I had to leave the baby donkey - perhaps if I took her home, and Martyn would say, "Katherine, did they give you the baby donkey?"..."No"...."Did you buy the baby donkey?"..."No"...."You can't take the baby donkey, it is not yours, you must return her."....And then I would return the baby donkey and her human Mom would squeeze my cheeks and say, "It's alright, honey, you take her home with you."
It's comforting knowing she is a mile away. I will someday soon walk Pino Blangiforti up to meet her, and he can visit with his mother Gabriella and father Angelo - who can bray with a whole carrot in his mouth like a cigar. And of course, we will take a home made pie.
