Responsibility and Friendship

Jude returned home from school with his backpack hanging on his back and a ball in his hands. While playing with it, he kicked the ball and broke the windowpane of a residence he was passing by.

Fearful for what he had done, he ran off and turned the street corner, fast.

Joe, his classmate, was walking right behind him but because he worried about a test he would take the next day, did not even notice what had happened.

As he passed by the house, he encountered a very angry man, who, seizing him by the arm, shouted:

- I got you, you naughty brat!

Frightened and not understanding what was happening, Joe defended himself:

- I did not do anything! I do not know what you're accusing me of.

- How do you not know? You just broke the window of my house and you do not know?

- I did not know, sir. It was not me! It was not me!

- Oh, no? And this ball here, whose is it?

Joe recognised the new and beautiful ball that belonged to his friend Jude. But he was not a snitch and would not incriminate his classmate. So he just replied:

- It is not mine, sir, I swear!

- If you're lying to me, you'll regret it. Let's go! I'll take you to your house and talk to your parents.

- Please, sir, release me! My parents are at work and there is no one home.

Joe wept and pleaded so much that the man gave in. He let go of the boy’s arm but asked for his address, which the boy gave. Then, gradually returning to being calm, the man informed:

- I’ll go to school tomorrow to talk to your teacher. What is your name?

- Joseph Louis Barbosa, but everyone calls me Joe.

- Very well, Joe. You can go now.

Joe continued on his way, relieved. The next day everything would be explained, he was sure. Certainly Jude would not let him be accused unjustly.

In the morning, Joe got up confidently and went to school.

It was ten o'clock when the man appeared at the door of the classroom. Teacher Dora greeted him and asked what he wanted. He walked in and explained to the whole class what had happened.

Jude cringed in his desk. Facing the man’s accusation, Joe waited for Jude to take the hit and not let him be unjustly blamed.

But Jude remained silent and Joe hung his head sad and disillusioned. Teacher Dora, noticing the situation that had developed, defended her student.

- You have every reason to complain, and even to desire reparation, but you cannot come here and accuse a student of mine without being sure of his guilt. Besides, this ball is not Joe's, I can tell you that.

- But someone broke my window with this ball and I want to know who it was.

He looked at the whole class, staring at each one. But no one flinched. Annoyed, he said:

- Very well. You're protecting each other but I'll find out who it was and then I'll take action. I'll leave the ball here on the table. Let the owner pick it up later, if you dare. Have a good day.

The man left, stepping hard. After his departure, Dora sadly looked at her class and said:

- I’m quite disappointed in you. No matter what we have done, we have a moral obligation to accept the consequences of our mistakes. Lying is very bad and omitting our responsibility, letting someone be accused in our place, is even worse.

Joe, with his head in his hands, cried softly. At that moment, Jude stood up, shy and ashamed:

- Teacher, I broke the window. But I did not mean to! It was an accident!

Then turning to his weeping friend, he said:

- Joe, I'm sorry! I did not want to create a problem for you, I just got scared of my parents' reaction when they heard about it. But you knew that I was guilty and did not tell on me, and that made me ashamed of myself. Can you forgive me?

Joe lifted his head, wiped the tears, and smiled.

- Sure, Jude. I knew you would not let me be accused unjustly. After all, we are good friends!

Jude walked to Joe and they hugged each other, glad that they had settled the situation well.

Then Jude, also moved, promised:

- Teacher, I promise you that when I leave here I will go to that man's house, tell the truth and take responsibility for the damage I caused.

- That’s great, Jude. You have decided very well - Dora agreed.

And Joe, standing beside him, said:

- I’ll go with you, Jude.

The teacher hugged them both, then, looking at the other students, said:

- We had a live lesson today. A difficult situation resolved peacefully, and everyone matured a little more. Jude learned that a lie only harms, and could verify Joe’s greatness as he did not tell on his friend, even knowing that he was guilty.

She stopped talking for a few moments, then went on in tears:

- Jude will still have to face difficulties with the man he has angered, as well as with his parents, but everything will be easier now has chosen to tell the truth. May we all have learned the lesson.

At the end of class, Joe accompanied Jude, who explained to the man what had happened, apologising and promising to pay the damage he had caused, using his allowance to buy him a new glass pane.

He would tell his parents what had happened, and he was sure the problem would be solved with ease. The hardest thing had been admitting guilt. Everything else did not matter.

Serene and confident, Jude returned home, certain that from then on there would be no problem he could not solve. He had also learned that a sincere friendship, like Joe's, was priceless and needed to be valued.

And from that day forward, they became even better friends.

AUNT CELIA

Translation:
Johnny Silveira / silveirajohnny@yahoo.com