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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
I pulled over. The cop pulled in behind. Walked to my window, peered inside, asked for my license and registration.
“New in town?”
Yes, I said. Got in five minutes ago.
“Know what you did wrong?”
“Sorry. There was no stop sign or stop light. The cars on the cross street were stopped, so I kept going.”
The cop shook his head. “In this town, sir, we distribute according to desert. Therefore, when motorists meet at an intersection, they stop to compare destinations and ascertain which of them is more worthy of having the right of way. If you attend our high school track meet tomorrow night, you'll see it's the same thing. Instead of awarding gold medals for running the fastest, we award them for giving the greatest effort. Anyway, that's why the other cars honked, because you didn't stop to compare destinations.”
The cop paused, stared, silently.
“I'm sorry, Officer” I said at last. “I know you must be joking, but I'm afraid I don't get it.”
“Justice isn't a joke, sir. I was going to let you off with a warning. Until you said that.”
People ought to get what they deserve. And what we deserve can depend on effort, performance, or on excelling in competition, even when excellence is partly a function of our natural gifts.
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