superstition, or something else?

by John Doe 4 Replies latest jw friends

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  John Doe

  I work at a large retail store. Recently, I've made a dozen or more hook shaped grabbers from conduit in order to pull items from the back of the shelves to the front. They're handy and professionally made.

  Now, why did I make a dozen you ask? They kept disappearing. I didn't mind the first half dozen, because I figured people needed them and they would stop taking them. However, they didn't stop. Nothing is more annoying than having a tool you've made for a specific purpose disappear every other time you need it. So, I decided to make two and label one of them mine. I wrote "John's shellelagh" on one, just because I like saying "shellelagh. That worked for a couple weeks, but it too disappeared.

  So, time to pull out the big guns. I wrote on the last one in capital letters, "A PLAGUE UPON THE GENITALS OF THE THEIF WHO PILFERS THIS STICK!--God" It's been a month now and that stick has not disappeared. In fact, one of the others I made has been returned. I find it amusing, but am somewhat puzzled. Why did people not have a problem taking the stick before? What made them alter their behavior for this one? Are they really afraid of a curse? Did the words smart their conscience? What do you think?
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  John Doe

  No thoughts?
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  tec

  Sorry :-)

  I thought it was funny when I read it, but was not really sure why the latter threat worked... except no one wants to take chances with their genitals.

  I'd say part superstition for some, but mostly conscience... because you were obviously angry enough about losing your sticks to write a self-made curse upon them.

  Tammy
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  transhuman68

  Maybe it's because you put your real name on it. They must have recognized the signature.
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  aSphereisnotaCircle

  I just think you just finally got your point across.

  This is why I don't work well with others, this sort of thing makes me crazy.

  I had a similar experience at a place of work a while back, workmates kept blocking a door that I needed access to. I left polite notes that were ignored, I finally left a note with a goofy "curse" on it very similar to yours, it still didn't work. But after that some of my workmates began treating me like I was dangerous and told my hubby that maybe he should take me to see a doctor. That really pissed me off!

  I like working alone, nobody messing with my stuff.