The Autumn of Our Discontent; A. Braun

362 it. Occasionally, fights would break out in the store and the policeman would be called upon to restore or del". Sometimes he was needed to apprehend a pickpocket or dealer in fraudulent merchandise. There was even an occasion when a store clerk tried to rob a customer and the police had to intervene; but basically the man in blue went un noticed. Yet, he was always there and it was a comforting sign. Everything went well for many years. The store enjoyed a good reputation; most everyone spoke well of it. Oh, there was the occa sional gripe by someone who felt that he was being cheated, but this was very rare. All in all, the store showed profits, the customers were happy, and mutual respect pre vailed. Then, one day a poor crippled old man came into the store. He looked longingly at some of the products. This was not unusual; people with problems had come to the store before. Usually, some kind person would pay for a meal 1975 THE AUTUMN OF OUR DISCONTENT 363 or make a gift of some item pur chased in the store; and this was fine. The receiver felt good and the giver felt good.

But on this occasion it seemed that no one was around to help this poor crippled old man. He did a great deal of browsing. At times it looked as if he were going to yield to temptation and steal some thing, but his integrity and hon esty prevailed. A policeman had been observing him carefully. Sud denly, the policeman took some thing off the shelf and gave it to the crippled old man. The old man, startled at first, looked with sur prise at the policeman and then smiled. Several persons in the crowded store witnessed this scene with mixed emotions: "What is that po liceman doing? He can't take things that don't belong to him and give them to others. Well, I guess it's O.K.; after all, the poor man is a cripple." A few days later, the old man was back, this time with a sick friend. He gave the policeman a wink and a smile, whereupon the policeman took some food and gave it to the crippled old man and his feeble friend. And so began a trend. Others who were poor or had physical problems would go to this policeman and ask for free merchandise, and they usually re ceived it.

As expected, this one policeman became very popular and received commendations from both receiv ers. and observers; after all, the store was very rich. More and more people saw this happening and thought it was fair. Soon, the policemen at the other doors joined in giving away the store's merchandise. Before long, even healthy people were walking in on crutches trying to get free mer chandise, and usually succeeding. Of course, as the merchandise be gan to disappear, the store had to raise prices to keep from losing money; but the increases were mi nor at first and nobody complained. After the practice had spread and continued, the scene began to change in the store. Instead of the quiet orderly business place it once had been, it now looked like a mad house. There were police all over the place, hundreds of them, giv ing things to people· for all sorts of reasons. But the people receiving these things were not happy about it as had been the first crippled old man and his friends. They always seemed to want what the police man gave to somebody else. They would stand around screaming: "I want some of that. He's getting more than I did. Why can't I have it now?"

The ordinary shopper, without an ailment, was beginning to won der why he should have to pay for 364 T'HE FREEMAN June things that others were getting for nothing. In time, as prices continued to rise, he too would manage, to get some merchandise free; so he didn't complain too much about the price because he felt someone else was doing most of the paying-and he was getting only bargains. In the old days, if he saw someone stealing, he would yell, "Help, police, there is a thief" until the officer took notice. But now it wasn't really robbery be cause the police were doing the taking and giving. Eventually, no one believed he was getting a fair deal, even if he got everything free. It seemed as if somebody else always got more. So, what happened? The great store, of course, went out of business and there no longer was a reason for anyone to go there. You've guessed it! The store is America. The policeman is the government. You and I are the customers. And if this is truly the "Autumn of our Discontent", let us hasten to mend our ways. If we can get the police back to th'eir proper function of guarding peace ful persons and protecting private property, we may still save the store.