Question

read the following story. selective samples cody liked the freedom that came with his first - summer job. he worked at mitchells farm, where people could come and pick their own corn, berries, and tomatoes out in the fields. then theyd bring their produce to the checkout stand, where cody would weigh it and charge the appropriate price. mr. and mrs. mitchell were usually busy somewhere else, so cody was trusted to manage the stand by himself. for the most part, cody enforced the mitchells rules. when someone asked for a free sample, cody said no. but he did sometimes bend the rules for friends, much to their delight. \go ahead, taste a few berries before i weigh em,\ hed say when it was someone he knew. it was against the rules to eat something before you bought it, but everyone wanted to. one day, a man came to the stand with a bushel of corn he had picked. cody weighed the ears of corn and told the man how much it cost. the man looked confused. \but i was here yesterday, and you told someone that for every five ears of corn you buy, you get one free,\ he said. cody remembered. he had indeed offered that deal to the thomases, who happened to be his neighbors. now he regretted it. he saw mrs. mitchell looking his way. how was cody going to explain that he had given a deal to those he knew while he made everyone else pay full price? the man saw that cody was looking at mrs. mitchell. \is that the owner? may i speak to her?\ he asked. cody thought about offering the man the same discount, but then there were people in line behind him, and they werent camping - corn, his. cody hung his head and walked over to see mrs. mitchell. which of the following best describes the main theme or lesson of the story? people should mind their own business. rules should be applied fairly. you should appreciate the people you work for.

Explanation:

The story shows Cody bending rules for friends, which then causes an issue when a customer expects the same deal. This emphasizes the importance of applying rules fairly to avoid confusion and dissatisfaction.

Answer:

Rules should be applied fairly.