A large envelope went around the company with employees making donations.
It was for the upcoming Christmas party. The factory manager did the rounds, going to each staff member, asking them to put in what they could afford. Some only came up with a handful of coins, but most gave notes. It was the day after the collection that the theft was discovered. The envelope had been emptied of all banknotes, leaving only the loose change. There was a lot of heated discussion about who would do such a rotten thing. It was made worse by the fact that it was most likely that someone who worked there had done it. The factory boss had his suspicions, as he had seen one of the young workers hovering around the office area, looking shifty, early that morning.
He was convinced that the boy had stolen the money. He decided to take him to the general manager’s office, where he would shame him into admitting what he had done. At the arranged time, the manager had called the boy off the factory floor, telling him they had an appointment in the boss’s office. They entered and pulled chairs up to the desk facing the general manager, who sat frowning at the boy.
Coming straight out with it, the factory manager said, “Isn’t it a fact that you stole money from the company’s Christmas party collection?”
The boy didn’t answer. He just sat looking around the room.
Raising his voice, he repeated, “Isn’t it a fact that you stole money from the company’s Christmas party collection?”
As the boy still made no response, the general manager intervened by saying angrily, “Come on, boy. Answer the question!”
The boy, looking surprised, said, “I’m sorry. I thought he was talking to you.”