A policeman decides to teach his arrogant son a valuable life lesson about life and crime.
David Michaels surprised his son Kyle by picking him up after school. But the surprise was all his. David drove his car to the school, parked it across the street, and crossed the road as the children began to come out of the gate.
He was there! David felt proud when he saw his 13-year-old, tall and handsome friend walking alongside a group of boys. The wind brought Kyle’s exciting words to his attention and David’s heart began to sink.
David knew he had to share a bitter family secret with his son. Source: Unsplash Kyle spoke to another boy. The other boy blushed and turned his back as he walked away.
“Your father is a filthy criminal,” Kyle said to another boy, “and I bet your mom is too.” The other boy flushed, turned his back, and walked away.
Kyle was not done yet. “You’ve got the same bad blood. You’re going to end up rotting in jail!” David was stunned.
The other boys took up a chant “Jailbird! Jailbird!” and Kyle joined them with gusto.
At that moment, David realized it was time he opened his son’s eyes to some of life’s realities. “Kyle!” His voice rang and the son’s eyes lit up at the sound. As Kyle ran towards his father, a huge smile lit up Kyle’s face.
Source: Pexels Kyle cried.
“Dad!” Kyle cried. “Hey! WOW! You’re here!”
“Yeah,” David said, “I had the afternoon off and decided to surprise you. So who’s that boy?” David indicated the boy Kyle had been abusing who was now getting into a car with a tired-looking woman.
“Oh, that’s Yale Carter,” Kyle said casually, “His father is a thief. We have to keep an eye on him…”
“Why?” asked David carefully. “Has he done anything? Stolen from you guys?”
Source: Unsplash Kyle said.
“No, but I’m sure he will, sooner or later,” Kyle said. “Son of a thief…”
You can choose to be good or bad. This is not something our genes have given us.
“I see.” David looked at his son with sadness. “So being the son of a policeman makes you automatically law-abiding?”
“I guess,” Kyle smiled. “Look, dad, that guy is a loser!”
“Well Kyle, I don’t agree with you,” David replied. “I happen to know Cabot Carter, and I know a little about his story, and yes he is a criminal. He made a mistake and he’s paying for it — but his son shouldn’t pay for it.”
David saw his son pick on another boy. Source: Pexels wept Kyle virtuously.
“Carter turned to crime as a last resort, Kyle. He held up a service station because he lost his job and his insurance. His son was sick and he didn’t have money for his medication.”
“There’s always another solution!” cried Kyle virtuously.
“I guess there is, but sometimes people get desperate,” David replied. “But Carter pleaded guilty, and he’s doing his time. He was a decent man, and I’m sure he will be again.”
“Grandmother says a leopard never changes his spots,” Kyle said.Source: Unsplash David didn’t say more, but on Sunday, he took his son out on an extraordinary trip. “And Yale is bound to follow in his footsteps. It’s in his DNA!”
“You’ve got the same bad blood. You’re going to end up rotting in jail!”
David didn’t say anymore, but that Sunday, he took his son on an unusual outing. He drove Kyle to Lancaster prison, an hour from their Los Angeles home.
“There’s something I want you to know,” David told Kyle as they walked into the visitor’s area, “No one decides to become a criminal. Most crimes are committed by normal people who make a bad decision.”
“Come on!” cried Kyle. “What about the mob, and gangs, and serial killers…”
“Yes, those exist too,” David replied. Source: Unsplash Kyle cried. “But a lot of people I arrest are just like you and me.”
“I happen to know Cabot Carter, and I know a little about his story”
“NOTHING like you and me!” Kyle cried.
A corrections officer brought in a tall, white man who looked just like David but was wearing prisoner’s overalls. Kyle looked at him. “Kyle,” David said softly, “this is your uncle Donald.”
The man grinned. “Hey David, I thought you were coming next week!” He said.
“Hey, Donny, I just thought it was time you met your nephew!” David replied. “Kyle this is your uncle Donny.” Kyle’s expression was bright red, and his mouth was open. Source: Pexels. He asked.
“This is your uncle Donald.”
“Uncle Donny?” he asked. “But grandma told us you live in Australia!”
Uncle Donny shook his head. Source: Unsplash On their drive home, Kyle was very quiet, then he asked, David, glanced over at his son. “She’s ashamed, Kyle, and I can’t blame her, so she tells that story about Australia.”
“But…But I thought you were a policeman” Kyle gasped, “like my dad and grandpa!”
“I was,” Donny said quietly. “I made a mistake, kid, and I guess I’m going to be paying for it for the rest of my life.”
“I wasn’t very nice, was I?” | Source: Unsplash
On their drive home, Kyle was very quiet, then he asked, “Dad, what did he do?”
David glanced over at his son. “That’s something we’ll talk about when you’re older, OK, Kyle?”
“Ok dad,” Kyle answered.
“What I wanted you to realize is that a criminal’s punishment and his shame does not extend to his family,” David replied. “Do YOU think crime is in YOUR blood?”
David was proud of his son. Source: Pexels wept Kyle.
“No!” cried Kyle horrified. “Of course not!”
“In that case,” David said, “I think you owe Yale Carter an apology.”
“It can’t be easy having your dad in prison,” Kyle said softly.
“No, it certainly can’t,” David agreed.
“I wasn’t very nice, was I?” Kyle asked his father. “I wasn’t fair.”
“Well, Kyle, what matters is that you know it and make up for it,” His father responded.
Kyle approached Yale at lunch the next day and offered his apology in front of the entire cafeteria. They became friends, and from then on, any kid who messed with Yale or teased him about his father had to deal with Kyle too.
What can we learn about this story?
- A criminal’s punishment and his shame do not extend to his family. Kyle treated Yale unjustly, as though he were responsible for his father’s mistakes.
- Every person deserves to be judged on who and what they are. It’s a choice. We don’t have to choose between good or bad behavior.