“Wod I do guv’nor?” said the old merry thief. “‘Alls’ I did was pinch a few bob ‘ere and there from some pinching, little bent outta shape coppas. Dats all. I swear on me tiny heart.”

The main authority at the station looked with stern, large, round eyes. They were deep set with years of law-abidingness firmly rooted within them. For them the law is the law. Black and white.

“You stole that what’s not yours,,” thundered the voice of authority.

“I pinched and picked from a pincher and picker themselves.”

“SIR! You shall address me as sir!”

“SIR, pincher and picker! Not you as well ‘ed guv’nor.”

The voice was most displeased at being accused of being a non-abiding citizen of society.

“How dare you speak of me of such illegal, illogical actions?”

“No sir. I woulda never do such a thing. ‘Alls’ I sed woz dat I wouldn’t take you for a pincher and picker. Your’re a man of duty, sir! I never had you down as being ill, sir. You look as healthy as a cupcake.”

“ILLOGICAL-without thought.” Again, the voice found this old criminal more complex than the eye could gather.

“Wiv out thought, sir? No, no. I thinks a man of your standing uses plenty of thinking to do wot you do, sir.” The old merry criminal was none the wiser and even in his simplicity there is a stretch of intelligence.”

“So you accuse my men of the law of this, pinching and picking. Thieving you mean?”

“No no sir. I don’t accuse them of anythin,’ I saw them do it.”

“Do what?”

“Pinch and pick something that wasn’ theirs. So I thought, very well, if you can do it, then I most certainly can do it. Don’t-cha agree, sir? If somebody takes that what isn’t theirs, then you can take it back off them and gives it back to the poor old mucker in the street?”

At this the voice was starting to see the light.

“So you mean to say that you gave this back to whom it initially belonged to?”

“All that was thieved sir was thieved back again, sir, “said the old merry criminal with great pride.

The voice of authority now understood and with this the old merry criminal stood accused of not very much indeed. At this point he was let go on his way, much to the annoyance of all who deemed themselves as the law enforcers. There really was a shred of intelligence in the old merry man.