I remember my reaction the first time I saw one of those signs.
It was along the lines of “What the fuck! People actually do that!?”
I grew up the son of an electrician. Having heard some of the stories of what my dad had seen done by weekend home improvement warriors instilled upon me a special appreciation of electrical safety.
In a fictional story certain items disappear from a home. These items include several eggs, a couple of bottles of cosmetics, and alcohol. A maid is suspected and fired. But she is innocent.
Why are these items missing? And perhaps more importantly, why do real-life authorities try to keep a part of this story from ever reaching the public?
Is this story a detective story?
Is this story famous? Would most of us likely know it?
Are the authorities trying to prevent someone copycatting something from the story?
reply to Mahaloth:
Is this story a detective story? No.
Is this story famous? No. Would most of us likely know it? Not sure.
Are the authorities trying to prevent someone copycatting something from the story? No.
Were the items taken by a human?
Were the items taken by an animal?
If they were taken, was the taker someone/thing that was supposed to be in the house?
Did the items leave the house intact?
Did the items remain intact inside the house?
Were the items destroyed, consumed, or otherwise rendered non-intact, while inside the house?
Does it matter that these specific items went missing? That is to say, could the same story have been told just as effectively if a different assortment of items had disappeared?
reply to Chronos:
Were the items taken by a human? Yes.
Were the items taken by an animal? No.
If they were taken, was the taker someone/thing that was supposed to be in the house? Yes.
Did the items leave the house intact? No.
Did the items remain intact inside the house? No.
Were the items destroyed, consumed, or otherwise rendered non-intact, while inside the house? Yes.
reply to dirtball:
Does it matter that these specific items went missing? Yes. That is to say, could the same story have been told just as effectively if a different assortment of items had disappeared? No.
Does it matter what type of cosmetics? IOW, could it be just as likely to be eye liner as face powder?
Was the alcohol consumable?
Were the eggs?
Were the missing items made into a cake ?
Yes. The cosmetics matter and the alcohol was consumable.
Yes.
No.
Were the eggs ordinary chicken eggs?
Would the problem work as well if they were some other sort of edible egg, such as duck or quail?
Did the remains of the items remain in the house?
In case the answer to @pjd 's question is no, were the items made into some other single thing?
Does the story include directions for doing something dangerous to the doer?
Does the story include directions for doing something dangerous to others?
Does the story include directions for doing something illegal?
Does the story include directions for doing something legal, but which could easily be used for illegal purposes?
Was it:
Anyone else care to add to this list until we get it?
Is the stealing the main plotline of the story?
Was the story written before 1900?
If not, does it take place before 1900?
Were the items used to make a poison? I’m thinking those old-timey cosmetics has lead or arsenic in them and combined with alcohol and eggs they were ingested by a victim.
Nail polish
reply to Chronos:
Were the eggs ordinary chicken eggs? Yes.
Would the problem work as well if they were some other sort of edible egg, such as duck or quail? I suppose. Would have been unusual.
Did the remains of the items remain in the house? Don’t know. Not answered in the story.
In case the answer to @pjd 's question is no, were the items made into some other single thing? No.
Does the story include directions for doing something dangerous to the doer? No.
Does the story include directions for doing something dangerous to others? No.
Does the story include directions for doing something illegal? No.
Does the story include directions for doing something legal, but which could easily be used for illegal purposes? No.
FWIW the cosmetic is “beauty cream.” Perhaps that’s more of an HBC item, but whatever.