Innocent, Or Guilty?
John’s son walked up to the judge who asked him to sit beside him. What kind of dirty trick was he trying to pull? The toddler walked behind the large desk that symbolized power and then the judge asked him something.
“Your father, is he innocent, or guilty?” Before the toddler opened his mouth John felt so sure of himself. John knew that he could count on his son. He had raised him right after all. But that was the problem.
John Ndlovu
John Ndlovu felt blessed that he had a second chance in a new country. He had recently moved to the United States from Africa, Ghana.
He still loved his old country, but he knew that it was the right decision for his wife and two boys. He got a job offer and a working Visa, and before he knew it, he was on a flight to his new residence in the U.S.
Unfamiliar Roads
Coming from a country that drove on the right side of the road meant that John had to adjust to driving on the left, as well as having the steering wheel on the left side of the car. Even though it wasn’t too bad, he was still prone to making mistakes.
He had a perfect driving record in Ghana, where he worked as a delivery driver for grocery stores. This meant that he had hundreds if not thousands of hours on the road and undoubtedly thousands of miles to his name.
An Ordinary Day
One Saturday morning, John decided to take his wife, toddler, and baby boy out for a treat. They were all unfamiliar with the new city they were in. They had moved to Providence, Rhode Island, for his employment.
John got his family into their new left-hand drive car and headed for sightseeing. But this Saturday would turn out to be very different from what he imagined when he was stopped by a police officer.
In Trouble
Not long after John started driving, he heard the siren behind him and pulled over with a sigh. The officer approached the car and looked in at him. “Do you know why I pulled you over, son?”
John shook his head in confusion and politely said, “No, officer.” The patrolman explained that he had been driving 35 in a 25 zone. John’s eyes went wide. He never wanted to break any road laws and even upheld a perfect record in his own country.
A Court Hearing
John was speechless. He tried to tell the officer that if he was, it surely was a mistake. The officer heard none of it and gave him a ticket. It said he would have to appear in court.
John felt sick to his stomach. Only a month in the country, and he had already unwittingly broken the law. But he had no idea what was going to come next.
Model Man
John had always seen himself as a role model for his kids. He was even a community member that was looked up to in his own town back in his native country.
But it seemed that he had no contacts or anyone that could speak for his judge of character. But he had no idea how bad it was when someone would speak out for him - his son. But he wouldn’t say what he wanted.
Preparing
John knew about traffic violations and going to court. He knew that at best, he’d look at a hefty fine, and at worst, he would get a strike on his license or even have it taken away.
He feared that he was an immigrant, and if his license was taken away, he couldn’t work. And if he couldn’t work, he had no right to be in the country.
Bringing The Family Along
John wanted his sons to see the consequences of his actions, so he decided to take them with him. He didn’t want to hide what he had allegedly done from his kids. And frankly, he also needed emotional support.
He got ready the morning of the hearing and made sure his family was ready for it too. They got into the car and drove to the courthouse. But he had no idea what one of his passengers would do when asked to speak about him.
Appearing In Court
They walked up the stone steps into the courthouse and their courtroom. The room was full of people who had committed traffic violations, just like John. He seated his family in one of the pews, and then his name was called out.
He stood in front of the judge. Who grilled him about his offense. But then the judge pulled out a trick he wasn’t ready for. He asked John’s son to step forward.
Raised Right
John’s son walked up to the judge, who asked him to sit beside him. What kind of dirty trick was he trying to pull? The toddler walked behind the large desk that symbolized power, and then the judge asked him something.
“Your father, is he innocent or guilty?” Before the toddler opened his mouth, John felt so sure of himself. John knew that he could count on his son. He had raised him right after all. But that was the problem.
“Guilty!”
His toddler looked him in the eyes and said, “guilty!” without even batting an eye. The entire courtroom burst into laughter. It wasn’t the answer that John was looking for. But he had to admit, it was funny.
Even the judge laughed along with everyone else. But then he did something else that he could never have been prepared for.
Understanding
The judge settled everyone down and then addressed John. He told him that he understood what was going on. He had recently moved from Africa and had only been in Rhode Island for a month.
“I bet you missed the road sign that said it was a 25-mile-per-hour speed limit, that’s all.” But he added on further with more understanding than John ever expected.
Lovely Family
“You have a fine family, sir. You’ve raised a good boy that knows right from wrong, and I appreciate that.” Why was he complimenting him? John had never experienced anything like this.
But the judge’s good mood and charity didn’t seem to end there. It was now time for John’s verdict. What would happen to him and his license? He closed his eyes and crossed his fingers.
“A Warning.”
He heard the judge clear his throat. He then said, “I don’t see why you should be punished so harshly in your first month. I’m letting you off with a warning. Look at it as a warm welcome to this fine country.”
Tears formed in John’s eyes. He couldn’t believe the judge’s generosity. He could continue working and made extra sure that he always watched out for roadsigns from then on.