by W.D. Nelson

Created on: April 26, 2008

"Guilty, your Honor", the man said as he stood in front of the judge.

"Could you please describe your crime?" The judge continued in a tone that told you he had asked this questions thousands of times before.

The man continued, describing how he used to write phony prescriptions and try to use them at different pharmacies, in order to feed his addiction to painkillers. When the man finished describing the nature of his crime, he continued standing, silently, in front of the judge.

The sudden quietness seemed to snap the judge out of his seemingly semi-conscious state, as he sat straighter up in his huge black chair, hit the gavel on the felt covered gavel hitter thing, and said "Have you anything else to add?"

"No sir, your Honor." the man answered.

"Okay, then," the judge said as he shuffled some papers in front of him and did some fast calculations in his head before turning to the adding machine on his desk,"We're pretty well filled up right now, and there are about one hundred and fifty people ahead of you waiting to get in, so, we'll just mark you down as one hundred and fifty one."
The judge looked up at the man and asked him "Do you have any questions?"
"No, your honor", the man replied.

"Very well, you're guilty as charged and sentenced to six months in the county jail or six months waiting to get into the county jail, whichever comes first."
"Thank you, your Honor." the man said and slowly turned around to walk out of the courtroom. Behind him, he could hear the judge's voice say,"Next case?", as he walked out of the swinging doors and left the courtroom.

His wife was sitting on a bench right outside the courtroom and stood up when he walked through.
"Well?" she asked, looking him in the eyes"
Six or six, her husband said.
They both smiled, hugged each other and as they stood waiting for the elevator to take them to the ground floor and out the main doors of the building to freedom. The man just couldn't contain a small chuckle as he looked over, smiled at his wife, and said, "Damn, I love these new drug sentencing rules, don't you?"
"Mmmm," his wife said as the elevator doors opened and they stepped in, "and I love you to."
They kissed just as the elevator doors closed and headed down to the street level

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