An 80-year-old woman is arrested for shoplifting. She appears before the judge accompanied by her husband. The judge: – What did you steal, ma’am? – A can of peaches, sir!

The woman glanced at her husband, who reached out to squeeze her hand in reassurance. “We couldn’t afford to buy them, sir,” she admitted, her voice catching in her throat. “We’re barely scraping by on our pension, and my husband has been ill…”

Her words trailed off as tears welled up in her eyes, her shame and desperation laid bare for all to see. The judge regarded her with a mixture of sympathy and understanding, his stern facade momentarily softened by her plight.

“I see,” he said quietly, his voice tinged with compassion. “And have you ever been in trouble with the law before?”

The woman shook her head, her eyes downcast. “No, sir,” she whispered, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.