Well logic, Greek logic, in fact was helpful in this case.
Whoever stole the couch and the baby Jesus did so late and in this neighborhood on a cold and misty night.

They were also able to come back later (quickly) with a ransom note.

So they were very local. Close. Nearby.

The fact they spotted the Jesus Box crib is not that telling (except for the above). But spotting the couch up two landings? No, they were close by and locals.

As we looked down, off our high balcony, I noticed there was a music store down between us and the United Market. It is some kinda “Gospel” or “Good News” music store on a sliver of land. It’s named “Amazing Grace Music” or some such thing. Good transfer/getaway ground.

We figured, if we left the cushions there it was a great neutral ground. The folk who work there were not gonna throw the cushions out immediately. They would not even notice them, but the thieves would…and would be able to, in nonchalant fashion, procure them and return Jesus and His crib in the box.
It’s not like the San Anselmo police were gonna hold a vigil over two couch cushions, or put the missing baby Jesus on "Amber Alert". So we capitulated. We walked the extra mile. We "gave up the jacket". You win. We just want our Jesus back.

So we took the cushions down the hill and placed them where they could be seen, but not where they would be a nuisance. My girlfriend and I argued in the parking lot briefly about telling the owners.

"No! The less people involved, the safer for Jesus!” I argued. She backed off. Probably because she knows I can read ancient Greek and she can't.

Aramaic wasn't mentioned.

*******

While her logic was Greek to me, as is often the case, she was right and I was wrong.

I overslept and did not get down to the Amazing Grace Music place until around 10:30 a.m.

The cushions were gone, but no box.

A few weeks later I noticed that the store had expanded and taken over the next-door furniture store (the type I had hoped would have inexpensive sofas once I had saved up the money to buy a good used one).

Two of my sons are musicians, and they had Christmas money to spend in January. I asked the owner (as my son picked out a special cymbal for his drum set and my other son picked out a used amp for his guitar rig) how they had been able to expand so quickly.

“Oh it was amazing” said the bearded owner. “For years we have wanted to expand, but couldn’t. Then one day we went out back and found a box with an old nativity scene," he grinned. "It was one of those collectible things. It was from the 1920’s and was quite valuable. Vince here put it up on eBay and we got $8500 for it during holy week. We used that to expand the store.”

My chin hit my chest.

“You okay?” he asked?

“Yeah,” I said. “But do you have a couch I could go lay down on for a few minutes?”

The whole story:

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