Mrs. Murphy's Cookies

Written for:
https://mymindmappings.com/2026/02/03/fandangos-story-starter-233/

Six-year-old Sandra, Jerry, Melinda and Charlie wished they could have
some of Mrs. Murphy's cookies. They knew that her cookie jar would be
full. It always was, and Mrs. Murphy's house often smelled better than
a bakery.

But the children were alone in her house, so they couldn't ask for even
one single cookie.They began to wonder why they shouldn't just help
themselves to a few chocolate-chip-raisin-walnut-oatmeal-coconut
cookies,Mrs. Murphy's specialty, after the way they'd been treated
by her.

I should explain that back then, everyone in Rose Valley left their
doors unlocked, except when they went to sleep. You'd go into
your neighbors' houses as comfortably as you'd enter your own, and
if your neighbors weren't in, you'd wait for them, or leave a note inviting
them to come over to your house.

But you wouldn't help yourself to anything without permission. That
just wasn't done in Rose Valley, which was one reason nobody worried
about leaving their doors unlocked.

And on this Saturday afternoon, Sandra, Jerry, Melinda and Charlie,
alone in Mrs. Murphy's house, knew that if she were home, she'd treat
them to cookies. She always did.

So wouldn't she expect the children to help themselves?
~*~*~*~