I got on the T and sat down next to a seat occupied only by two copies of that free newspaper that I’ve been thinking too much about. I picked one up and started reading it. At the next stop, the woman sitting on the other side of the newspapers, who was herself reading yet another copy of that free paper, picked up the other copy from the seat as she exited.
She was already reading it, why did she take the extra copy? Was she saving both of those copies for friends? Who would bother to pick up extra free newspapers to share with somebody else? (OK, I did once, but I needed cheap packing materials)
Did I steal a free newspaper? Is that even possible? Well, at least I recycled it.