A man came to me on the street.
Troy S. Gamble? – he asked.
The next instant I was amazed at my own abilities to thoroughly check my entire past for the traces of any crimes and misdemeanours which could have led to a court writ being served.
Yes, I said after a slight pause. This is who I am.
Pre-crime police, he said. According to our information you’re about to commit a crime.
What crime? – I asked.
He checked his papers.
You’re about to steal a package of two halogen tubes in the nearest supermarket, he said.
No, I am not, I said.
Yes, you are, he said. Trust me.
No, I am not, I said. Trust me.
All right, he said. Here’s the deal. You sign this paper and you’re free to go and do whatever you want.
I took the paper. It was titled PRE-CRIME WARNING in big red letters.
But if you do steal those tubes after you sign this paper, continued the man, there will be no pardon for you. You will receive the most severe punishment, which is … He consulted his little gadget. Which is a fine of five hundred pounds and thirty days incarceration. How about that?
Harsh, I said. And what if I don’t sign this paper at all?
Why wouldn’t you?
Why should I?
Because it doesn’t change anything, he said. If you don’t, I just enter you in my report, that’s all. You’ll be marked as warned in our files. This paper is for you, mainly, for your own convenience. Lest you forget.
All right, I said. I’ll sign it. Do you have a pen?
Two copies, he said. One for me, one for you.
All right, I said.
Later in the supermarket I stopped in front of those tubes.
Go on, you milksop, I said to myself, take those tubes. Five hundred quid and a month in prison. Now, this is the challenge to rise to.
Troy S. Gamble? – he asked.
The next instant I was amazed at my own abilities to thoroughly check my entire past for the traces of any crimes and misdemeanours which could have led to a court writ being served.
Yes, I said after a slight pause. This is who I am.
Pre-crime police, he said. According to our information you’re about to commit a crime.
What crime? – I asked.
He checked his papers.
You’re about to steal a package of two halogen tubes in the nearest supermarket, he said.
No, I am not, I said.
Yes, you are, he said. Trust me.
No, I am not, I said. Trust me.
All right, he said. Here’s the deal. You sign this paper and you’re free to go and do whatever you want.
I took the paper. It was titled PRE-CRIME WARNING in big red letters.
But if you do steal those tubes after you sign this paper, continued the man, there will be no pardon for you. You will receive the most severe punishment, which is … He consulted his little gadget. Which is a fine of five hundred pounds and thirty days incarceration. How about that?
Harsh, I said. And what if I don’t sign this paper at all?
Why wouldn’t you?
Why should I?
Because it doesn’t change anything, he said. If you don’t, I just enter you in my report, that’s all. You’ll be marked as warned in our files. This paper is for you, mainly, for your own convenience. Lest you forget.
All right, I said. I’ll sign it. Do you have a pen?
Two copies, he said. One for me, one for you.
All right, I said.
Later in the supermarket I stopped in front of those tubes.
Go on, you milksop, I said to myself, take those tubes. Five hundred quid and a month in prison. Now, this is the challenge to rise to.