“I Didn’t Do It!”
Billy was in big trouble. The day before, a donor gave the school a
painting with a sports theme. It showed a referee congratulating two
athletes. The principal hung the painting in front of the office, hoping that
it would be a stimulus for students to play sports. The next morning,
however, the painting was destroyed. There was graffiti on it, and it had
many holes in it. The worst part was that one of Billy’s fellow students
said she thought she saw Billy do it!
But Billy didn’t do it. The principal called Billy’s parents and said, “Billy
won’t tell us the truth. He’s a chronic liar, and he ruined the painting. If
you don’t pay for it, we’ll terminate his education here.”
Billy’s parents didn’t have enough money to pay for the painting and
for his tuition. But Billy’s parents had an idea. That afternoon, they went
to see Mr. Meyers, an attorney.
“Mr. Meyers, my son has been implicated in a crime he says he didn’t
do,” Billy’s father said. “Everybody believes the gossip. Even some of
our own kin think he did it!”
“I believe you. My suspicion is that the tape from the security
cameras will show who really did it,” said Mr. Meyers.
The next day, Mr. Meyers received a packet with the videotape from
the school. It showed another student who resembled Billy walking up to
the painting and writing on it. Then the student took a knife by the shaft
and started to stab large holes in it. Finally, he severed the rope that held
up the painting, and it fell to the floor.
Mr. Meyers showed the tape to the principal. “Clearly, that’s not Billy,”
he said. “This boy is actually responsible and needs some discipline.”
Billy was happy that someone believed him. He said to Mr. Meyers,
“When I graduate and go to university, I will major in law, so I can be a
guardian of justice like you!”