Miss Manners: I found an expensive bracelet. Are there rules about what I can do with it?

DEAR MISS MANNERS Is it OK to give someone an item that one ascertained Related Articles Miss Manners My houseguest insisted on using her sleeping bag Should I do the same Miss Manners Where should I look when I follow a woman up the stairs Miss Manners Should I exposure insulting my neighbor by being blunt about her dog Miss Manners Strangers want to take our photo and they re bugged when I say no Miss Manners She contaminated the soup and then got petulant with me I exposed a really nice bracelet at a park I took it to my jeweler who proven that it was made of -karat white gold with diamonds and garnets I tried my best to find the owner placing an ad in a local online publication It has been particular weeks now and no one has claimed it Someone dear to me has garnet as her birthstone The bracelet is in a style that I imagine would appeal to her She is not one to wear much jewelry besides her wedding rings often just simple earrings when dressing up But this piece is dainty and the stones are not ostentatious Would it be OK to give the bracelet to her GENTLE READER As etiquette prohibits you from snatching a gift back out of the recipient s hands Miss Manners recommends against giving away something to which you do not have a clear title This will save you the embarrassment of having to explain to someone who sees the notice after returning from an extended stay abroad why you no longer have the bracelet Or of explaining to your friend how you came by an exact replica of her grandmother s bracelet which the grandmother lost on a walk in the park last month DEAR MISS MANNERS After years at the same company my role was eliminated by the parent corporation When it comes to former co-workers who should call whom after such a job loss I consider this something like a sympathy situation and wonder if the remaining employees should call or write me to offer their backing If I should want to keep in touch with specific of my work associates should I make the first contact If I have not received any contact should I assume no one wishes to do so Is there any convention for this situation GENTLE READER There are multiple conventions depending on whether the relationship between the current employee and the departing one is personal or solely professional and also unfortunately on whether one wants to do what is proper or what is commonly done All too often employees pretend the person fired never existed which is both heartless and foolish as it convinces bosses they will get the same response whether they make good decisions or bad ones But Miss Manners objects to treating such departures like deaths Besides being unduly pessimistic this makes personal assumptions about the terms of the separation and the feelings of the former employee Such assumptions may be inaccurate and even condescending Related Articles Dear Abby My grandmother speeds up to scare jaywalkers and sees nothing wrong with it Asking Eric I m finished with this friendship since I realized what she was doing Harriette Cole I saw my missing cat in the neighbors window and they won t admit it Miss Manners My houseguest insisted on using her sleeping bag Should I do the same Dear Abby My co-worker thinks I m mad at him In reality I have a raging crush Employees whose jobs are eliminated should be treated the same as other departing employees You may reach out to actual friends or they may reach out to you just be prepared to find out that particular people you thought were friends are not so loyal when they do not see you at work DEAR MISS MANNERS What is the best way to communicate dressy casual on an invitation GENTLE READER With a decoder ring Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website www missmanners com to her email gentlereader missmanners com or through postal mail to Miss Manners Andrews McMeel Syndication Walnut St Kansas City MO