“When the cat’s away, the mice will play” (Palestinian–Jordanian dialect) There was a young man named Moataz who worked in an electrical supplies store. Whenever the manager was around, he was the perfect employee. As soon as the manager walked in, Moataz would start organizing things, cleaning the floor, dusting the shelves, and greeting customers with a smile. The manager would always say: “God bless you, Moataz. I wish all my employees were like you.” And Moataz would smile and nod. But the reality was very different. The moment the manager stepped out for an errand or got busy elsewhere, everything changed. Moataz would sit on his phone, ignore customers, and leave them waiting. Sometimes he would even leave the store to grab a coffee or make personal calls, leaving his coworker alone to handle all the work. His coworker, Samer, would warn him: “Take it easy, man. If the manager finds out, you’re going to be in trouble.” Moataz would laugh and say: “No one knows. Relax.” One day, the manager had to travel and would be gone all day. Moataz was thrilled and said: “Today is our day! When the cat’s away, the mice will play.” He and a few coworkers spent the day joking around and wasting time. What they didn’t know was that the manager had installed new security cameras in the store a week earlier. The next day, the manager walked in holding his phone. He called Moataz over and said: “Come here and show me how hardworking you are.” Moataz’s mouth went dry, and his face turned every color imaginable. He watched the footage of himself on the cameras and felt deeply embarrassed. He stayed silent, not knowing what to say. Because he realized everyone had discovered that he only behaved properly when the manager was present. From that day on, he worked the same way whether the manager was there or not. Meaning of the proverb “When the cat’s away, the mice will play” is used to describe someone who behaves well, follows rules, or acts responsibly only when an authority figure is present—such as a manager, parent, or teacher. But as soon as that person leaves, they stop following the rules and do whatever they want. The proverb suggests that some people behave properly not because they genuinely believe in doing the right thing, but only because someone is watching them.