Frustrating fluctuations...

If you give a mouse a cookie, it sets a reasonable expectation that potential future cookies are in the realm of possibility.

If you give a mouse a cookie, then say you'll never give it another one, but then proceed to give that mouse yet another cookie, you're likely to confuse that mouse.

If you give a mouse a cookie, but marry another mouse, but still continue giving the occasional crumb to that first mouse while hiding it from your mouse-band, that mouse may not be crazy for reading into it.

If you give a mouse a cookie while wearing overalls and chewing tobacco, you might be a redneck.

If you give a mouse a cookie, but only when you've been drinking, the mouse might start to hope you're an alcoholic despite knowing you have a history with addiction, which isn't great but it's understandable because the mouse is just human, after all. Or, a mouse, whatever.

If you give a mouse a cookie, and blow it a kiss, and visit it and hold its widdle mouse paw, and finally admit you're still in love with it, but then just shut down entirely, you might break that poor mouse's heart. Again.

If you give a mouse a cookie, but every cookie's laced with poison, but the stupid worthless mouse keeps on gobbling them up anyway, it might be animal abuse to keep feeding it.

If you give a mouse a cookie, even just once, you run the risk of that mouse loving you forever, no matter the personal cost. Not because you're the only one to ever give it a cookie, and not because it's the only mouse you've ever fed, but because it sees something of itself reflected in you, ugly whiskers and beady black eyes and all.

If you give a mouse a cookie, it might learn to bake, just so it can feebly attempt to mirror your love language.