I know we’re in a recession but--

A few days ago I received this message as part of a mass email blast:

All - Someone may have mistakenly taken my cup from the Kitchen located next to the Bubble Conference room.
Description of cup: White with Company Logo and has my name on the bottom of the cup. If someone finds it, could you please return to me or replace it in the Kitchen.

I wish I could say this was a unique incident, but the truth is, in my office, we have a mug bandit in our midst. Last year one of my good friends in my office also had her cup go missing. The last time I saw that cup was when it was filled with water sitting by the sink, post oatmeal breakfast. It’s not even so much that these are valuable things, it’s just the principle of stealing someone else’s cup that disgusts baffles me .

I know we don’t get great salaries, but why would someone steal a mug? We have all kinds of shops that sell mugs downstairs; take your pick between Starbucks, Rite Aid, the Hallmark Store, and the multitude of cheesy souvenir shops, there are probably more mugs available than people to steal them.

I keep my own mug on my desk, free for the taking, except it hasn’t walked away just yet. It seems that the crimes are occurring in the kitchen, where, say, it wouldn’t be at all obvious to grab the cup loitering near the sink or the countertop. No one would question you there, but if you took it straight from someone else’s cube, with an outer wall clearly marked with a name that’s not yours, it might be more obvious.

I don’t understand why anyone would want a used and possibly dirty mug? Why would you want someone’s dried hot cocoa dregs or lipstick stains? Do you go to the restaurant and ask for unwashed coffee cup when it’s time for dessert?

Never mind, I don't really want to know.