VIII
Immediately after telling Moosey’s story, Donnell reverts his attention to Brandon, the kid in the courtroom he was telling it to.
“Life is short and way too precious to be bogged down with unforgivingness, Brandon. I can see the load you’re carrying, young man, and I guarantee you that it is too big of a burden for you. The truth of the matter is that bearing the weight of the world is impossible for anybody to endure, much less a child such as yourself. I’ve learned that just because society has dealt me a bad hand, I can’t just throw in the towel. I must play the hand I’ve been dealt. I use my personal experiences like a deck of stacked cards. I’m trying to ensure myself a better hand now than what I had before.
“Life is the same way, Brandon. Make use of the life you have by first changing the way you think and the people you surround yourself with. If you use the skills you have, you can develop a trump-card-like strategy for every situation you go through. Remember, once you become the dealer, the odds are always in your favor. All I’m asking is for you not to quit on yourself. The only thing that has ever been able to beat a failure is a try. If you’re trying, failure is not an option.”
Silence permeates the courtroom for five long minutes before Judge Ransom says, “Brandon, tell us your thoughts and how you feel about what Mr. White just said to you.”
“To be honest, Judge, that was kinda deep, what Mr. White was saying. Sometimes when you think you got it bad, someone else has it worse. What he said about his friend really touched me. I’m thinking hard on what he asked me to do, prior to him telling the story, and that was to listen. I can say that I’m glad I did. I might be young and hardheaded, but I’m not stupid. Getting locked up was a dumb move on my part.
“No one has ever sat me down and really explained things to me the way he did, at least no one I could relate to. I was only told where and how my life would end up. I don’t know, I guess I’m finally starting to get that it’s not always about what’s being said. Sometimes it’s the one who’s saying it that makes the difference. I felt Mr. White’s pain, listening to his friend tell him about his life, and that lets me know that he ain’t no square. He done been through some thangs, and he’s real. There’s not many people I can vibe with or listen to, but I feel him.”
“Wow!” Judge Ransom says. “That was a powerful endorsement you gave Mr. White, Brandon.”
Donnell interjects and says, “Really, Your Honor, that was only a fraction of Moosey’s story. I have so much more I can share about his life, but I’m aware that time is an issue this morning, so I’ll end it there.”
“Oh, no, Mr. White,” Judge Ransom emphatically responds. “We’re all here for one reason. I believe it takes someone like you to get through to these boys. I’m not the one to impede on progress, and I’m not putting a muzzle over the wisdom you’re sharing. You are free to proceed, but before you do, let me ask: Is there anyone who needs a bathroom break?”
After getting a split reaction to her question, Judge Ransom decides to take a fifteen-minute recess.