A police officer friend mentioned he had read the same newspaper article about a seventeen year old in Corpus Christi who had been arrested and jailed for smoking a cigarette in violation of a probation order while in a Halfway House. When the person in charge of the facility saw the boy smoking, he called the police who responded and hauled him off to jail - priorities notwithstanding.

"What's your thoughts on this matter, friend," I asked.

He replied, "I probably would have steered clear of an arrest in this case. Discipline on such matters, I believe, belong to the parents of teenagers."

I agreed and remembered a day in my boyhood when the superintendent of schools caught me smoking in the basement of the high school building. The superintendent was also my football coach, and the only coach in the entire school system who, incidentally, coached for no pay. We boys boldly called him "Butch", when he couldn't hear us of course.

"N.," said he, "you know you have to be punished for this rule violation,"

"Yes, Sir,"

"Okay, I'm going to send you to the juvenile delinquent authority who you think is the most compassionate and will mete out the least punishment for your misbehavior. Which is it, the sheriff or your dad?"

"Not even close, Coach. Send me to the sheriff."

Have a good week!