Will the Farmer Miss Just ONE Cantaloupe Plant?

I swear Bobby thinks we're stupid. Does he really believe he can pull this stuff right under our noses and have it go unnoticed? This sort of caper doesn't occur as often as it used to fortunately, but as far as we're concerned the fact that it EVER happens is frustrating beyond belief!

We each have a garden patch in the family garden this year and our son has enjoyed having his own tiny plot. He helps in the bigger patches but his own section is his responsibility. He dug it out and took care of it all on his own. He chose to grow green beans, beets & radishes.

Just across the ditch from our property is a wonderful organic garden started a full month before ours & thriving beautifully. We admire the farmer's garden as we work in ours. I suppose we spent a bit too much time admiring his work. Today, Dad found an enormous cantaloupe plant growing out-of-place in Bobby's little garden. No detective work needed here. None of us has a plant THAT big! Upon inquiry Bobby admitted he crossed the little ditch while we were inside the other evening & bravely uprooted just one plant so he'd have a nice one all for himself! We explained to him that next year when the farmer began planting he should just remind us to get an earlier start and we will. Then our plants will be the same size!

Back in "the day" a good visit to the wood shed and emptying of the piggy bank would have been the all-too-fair treatment for this awful behavior. (The woodshed might have been a good idea!) We chose to discuss, have him write the apology letter & we are now waiting for the farmer to be back in his patch. Bobby has some cash ready he was saving for a fishing pole. He knows he has to offer the amount of $ that plant could have brought in for the farmer. He fully understands his wrong (but goodness knows we've not seen the end of these sort of escapades!) Gotta love this kid. I sure do!!!

UPDATE: The farmer dropped by and had a serious discussion with Bobby. (We had called him ahead and explained to him that we didn't want him to tell our son it was "ok.")  He charged him for the seed and what each of the 8 canteloupes would have brought him at the store. Bobby handed over the $15. and promised not to do it again. The farmer told him he would like Bobby to one day work for him!