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“I didn’t do it”

Billy was in big trouble. The day before, a donor had given the school a painting with a sports theme. It showed a referee congratulating two athletes. The principal had 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 had 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!”