In America, a 15-year-old boy was caught stealing from a store. While trying to escape, he broke a shelf. The judge asked him, “Did you really steal that packet of bread and cheese?”
The boy looked down and said, “Yes.”
The judge asked, “Why?”
The boy replied, “I needed it.”
The judge asked, “Why didn’t you just buy it?”
The boy answered, “I didn’t have any money.”
The judge asked, “Why didn’t you take it from your family?”
The boy said, “I live with my mother, she is sick and doesn’t have a job. I stole the bread and cheese to give it to her.”
The judge asked, “Do you work?”
The boy answered, “I used to work at a car wash, but I took a day off to care for my mom, so they fired me.”
The judge asked, “Why didn’t you ask someone for help?”
The boy said, “I went to fifty people, but no one helped me, so I took this step.”
After hearing this, the judge said, “Stealing is wrong, especially stealing bread. But we are all responsible for this. Everyone here, including me, is guilty. So, I am going to fine everyone in the court ten dollars. No one can leave without paying.”
The judge took out ten dollars from his pocket and set it aside. Then he said, “I am also fining the store one thousand dollars for not helping a hungry child and calling the police instead. If the store doesn’t pay the fine within twenty-four hours, the court will close it.”
The judge said, “The fine money will be given to this boy as an apology from the court.”
Everyone in the court, including the boy, was moved to tears. The boy kept looking at the judge, who also walked out wiping his eyes.
This story makes us question whether our society, system, and courts are ready for such decisions.
As Chanakya said, “If a hungry person steals bread, the people of that country should feel ashamed.”