I mentioned the parents of criminals, and the terrible pain they endure — a pain not often thought of by the majority of the population. This struck a nerve in some readers, as you might imagine. Have one letter (some snippets of):

Jay,
. . . My son, at 17, was arrested for murder in [a western state]. He was a fugitive for a short time, but I found out where he was and told the police to go get him. Well, let’s just say that the following 2-3 years of my life were very difficult. I live on the East Coast and had to spent a lot of time flying back and forth, dealing with lawyers, the press, and the family of the deceased. And then you see your son brought into a courtroom, shackled, and accused of murder. Words cannot express . . .

Maybe we could have just one more letter?

Thank you for your comments about the pain that parents of criminals experience. In 2001, my mom’s boyfriend was murdered by a 15-year-old in a completely random act. During the trial, my mother took some time to talk to the boy’s family at the courthouse. They were as shocked as any of us, and probably in nearly as much pain. My mother actually received animosity from some on “our side” for “talking to the enemy.”

A subject underexplored in life, I think. Anyway . . .