I should have asked permission before using my friend’s portable space heater, despite the fact that I did it anyway.
I was resting there with the heater in my house, and I was still shaking from having it, not from the temperature outside at this point but from taking his unit.
My neighbor who lives nearby told me that they just purchased a portable space heater and were raving about how warm and cozy it made their house feel. I hastily decided to grab it, and I would bring it back in a day. Back at home I felt horrible, and in addition to having stolen something that wasn’t mine, I felt bad because I knew my neighbor might need the heater as well. If they felt cold and had no other way to stay warm, what would happen? I made an effort to suppress my guilt as I went about my night, savoring the warmth that the borrowed heater provided. But I couldn’t help feeling guilty every time I looked at it. I made the decision to act morally as the night wore on because I couldn’t shake the guilt I was feeling. I apologized for stealing the heater from his cellphone to my friend. The fact that I didn’t ask them before borrowing it still made them irritated, however they understood. The next day I delivered a handwritten note of apology, along with the portable space heater, to my friend’s door. I promised that I would never take something from them without their permission again, and that I would make it up to them in any way I could.