Short Stories # 3: Thief Ethics

A downtrodden father, having just lost his family in a car accident, decided to go the wrong way down in life. Soon, in a span of 3 months, he committed 4 big heists, and was the 'wanted' man in town. He was enjoying this new way of life, but he often wondered the consequences that had led to him walking down that path.

Another new moon night, the thief set out on his next 'mission', just outskirts in the countryside, was a palatial mansion belonging to a bureaucrat, who lived abroad. He knew that South of the mansion, was a room in which the rich man kept his safe. He even obtained plans of the room. Having mastered the technique of opening safes, which requires putting the ear to the lock, and trying different combinations, and 'hearing' for a 'click' sound, he was quite sure of pulling it off.

Armed with ropes, hooks and a knapsack, the bad man managed to make it into the room. But what his plans didn't tell him was that there was someone in the room, a little kid sleeping on the bed.

Quietly tiptoeing in, the lights suddenly turned on and the child woke up. To the thief's amazement, the child near-perfectly resembled his long-gone son!

The child, his eyes drooling, shouted, "Dad!"

The man, startled, asked the child if he was really his son.

"Yes, Dad. I survived the horrible crash. Fortunately, the caretaker of this place spotted me and brought me here. I thought that everyone had perished, including you, and so I had nowhere to go. But what in the world are you doing here."

The Dad, not knowing what to say told him that he had come to take his son back. After that day, the dad had a heartwarming change, and decided to donate all his 'earnings' to a charity.

Some Thief Ethics. Thieves are made only because of circumstances.

PS. Like all stories, this one too had a happy ending. The dad went on to become a leading counseller and helped dozens of depressed people change their way of living.