Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Mercy (01/15/26)
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TITLE: Life Lesson | Previous Challenge Entry
By Steve Rosas
01/22/26 -
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Rita began the conversation
“Hello Mr. Hayes. Thank you for meeting with us. Pete has something to say to you. Go ahead Pete.”
Silence hangs in the room while the 2 adults sit silently, staring at Pete.
He took a deep breath, and then looked down at the floor and mumbled in a quiet voice-
“I stole a candy bar.”
“Peter, I don’t think Mr. Hayes heard you. Speak up and say it again.”
Still looking at the floor, but speaking a little louder, he repeated “I stole a candy bar.”
Rita prompted him “and….”
Pete sighed and spoke up “and here’s the money to pay for it” as he set a crumpled bill on Mr. Hayes’ desk.
“Tell him that you’re sorry.”
“Sorry”
After a few minutes of silence, Mr. Hayes picked up the crumpled bill and put it in his pocket.
“Pete, I am glad that you came in to see me. That took a lot of courage…but let me ask you something. Are you here because your mom made you or because you wanted to.”
Pete looked at his mom. She remained silent.
“Pete, you can be honest. Was it your idea to come in today?” (Silence) “….or your mom’s?”
“My mom’s.”
“That’s what I thought. I’m glad that you have a mom that cares enough about you to hold you accountable, but it would have meant more if it was your idea.
“Let me show you something. After your mom called me this morning, I had the security team pull this recording.”
Wendall turns his computer screen toward Pete. It shows the candy aisle in the store. Pete is seen, coming into the camera view. After looking around, we see him reach onto the shelf and put three candy bars into his pocket.
Rita exclaimed in surprise “Pete! You told me that you only took one.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You will be marching right back down here with 2 more dollars to pay for those other candy bars. Mr. Hayes, I am so sorry. I didn’t know.”
Mr. Hayes opened a document on his computer and said “Pete, let me show you something else. Here is a list of people that have been caught on camera at our store. I’ve blurred out the other names, except for one. What name is that?”
“It's my name.”
“Do you know why we keep this list?”
“No”
“Every time one of these people come in the store, we watch them closely to see if they are going to steal again. If we catch them stealing, we call the police.
“Look, Pete, I am going to make an offer to you. I will give you two choices- One option is that I can call the police and have you charged with shoplifting. The other option is that I forgive you for stealing, forget about the 2 dollars that you owe to me and delete your name from this list. Which option do you want me to take?”
“The second one?” Pete says, not quite sure if he heard this correctly.
“That’s what I think you should do. You may wonder why I am showing you mercy. It’s not that you deserve it, but I have faith in you- faith that the mercy I show you today will help you to grow into a teenager and young man that your mom will be proud of. Also, I want you to come into my store and know that we are not watching for you to fail. Who knows, maybe in a few years, you will come in here and apply for a summer job.”
“I don’t think that you are going to hire anyone whose name is on the list of shoplifters.”
“You are right about that but remember- your name is not on that list. I am deleting it right now.”
“Thank you, Mr. Hayes.”
“One more thing, Pete….”
He pulls a crumpled bill out of his pocket.
“Take this and go buy a candy bar- my only request is that you share it with your mom.”
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