LAW AND ORDER

Sheriff Joe Pine might have been mistaken for the Marlboro Man as he stood silhouetted in the late afternoon Sun atop the hill that rose behind The Widow Jones's place. He was doing his best to read the lay of the land from the hilltop down to the widow's house as he mentally planned the SWAT team assault scheduled for that night. He visualized every member of the team as having been perfectly positioned, then in his head he played through the attack itself. He wanted to do everything possible to avoid any casualties, or at least keep them minimal and minor.

The Widow Jones was a quiet person who kept pretty much to herself, so Sheriff Pine was unsure as to how she might react when arrested. He didn't know whether she owned any firearms or whether she could use them even if she did. Although no one ever stopped by the house other than to pay a brief visit, Sheriff Pine feared by some coincidence his SWAT team might launch its attack when an innocent bystander was present, and there would be hell to pay if the bystander was hurt or, heaven forbid, killed.

But the fact was he had made this commitment. Tonight was the scheduled night. Everyone was in place prepared to begin the assault at the appropriate signal. There could be no backing out now. Besides, when he had put on that silver badge as a representative of the people of his community to insure its safety and lawfulness, had in effect promised his fellow citizens that he would do what had to be done when it had to be done. Now was such a time.

The darkness deepened. There was no moon tonight. Finally, when Sheriff Pine felt his men growing impatient, he signaled the attack. The lead men smashed windows on either side of the house to keep the Widow Jones from being able to focus all her attention on one area. Then other SWAT team members broke in the front and rear doors to the house. Another was working his way down the chimney. Complete surprise. The Widow Jones had obviously been taken without incident.

No one knew exactly how old she was, but 82 would not be a bad guess. Anyway, when they reached her she was sitting in her rocking chair. One of the men came up rapidly behind the chair and shoved it forward, thus ejecting the Widow from the chair and propelling her through the air toward the fireplace. She landed there on the hearth with a thud, and before she could counterattack, another SWAT team member jumped in the middle of her back, quickly grabbed her arms and jerked them backward, and managed to engage the handcuffs. Widow Jones was now immobilized.

To this point, she had not said a word, although she did have a somewhat stunned look on her face. Finally, Sheriff Pine came into the room and informed Widow Jones that she was under arrest. He told her that she was now subject to severe civil and criminal penalties because she had violated laws covered by Sections 501 and 506 of Title XVII of the United States Code.

He had known for some time that she had been making copies of movies with her VCR, but had to get his evidence lined up before making the arrest. Now he had her, because he had learned only yesterday that she had been donating the tapes to the Foundation for Persons with Defective/Deficient Left-Brain Processes, and while he applauded her desire to be charitable to those in need, charity must remain within the law.

Sheriff Pine relaxed, feeling good about a job well done. His community would be safer now.