Dear editor,

For years I was plagued by a recurring dream. Passengers on a ship would leisurely stroll along the deck until the burly man in the black leather jacket grabbed the purse of the white-haired lady. She always refused to let go and in the ensuing struggle they would fall overboard. The ship would stop abruptly and the captain, holding a flotation ring in one hand and a thick binder in the other, would push through the crowd. After flipping through pages and pages of rules and regulations, he would throw the life preserver to the man in the leather jacket and the white-haired woman would sink beneath the waves.

After months of therapy, my 鈥榮hrink鈥� said my dream was an outlet for the repressed anger I felt toward our legal system. She went on and on about 鈥榬evolving doors鈥�, 鈥榗hronic offenders鈥�, 鈥榗atch and release鈥�,鈥� court backlogs鈥�, 鈥榩lea bargaining鈥�, 鈥榙ropped charges鈥�, 鈥榠nsufficient deterrents鈥�, 鈥榓rcane procedures鈥�, 鈥榗riminal entitlements鈥�, 鈥榲ictim impact statements鈥�, 鈥榖ureaucratic mismanagement鈥�, 鈥榲ested interests鈥� and 鈥榰nscrupulous politicians鈥�.

Finally I blurted out, 鈥淪omeone once said never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world.鈥�

Then I added wistfully, 鈥淚 sure would like to change the legal system.鈥�

鈥淎re you nuts?鈥� my therapist managed to say before laughing uncontrollably. When she regained her composure she snorted, 鈥淲hat you need is a reality check!鈥� and promptly pushed her invoice across the desk.

Wow! Talk about a 鈥榬eality cheque鈥�! The shock therapy of paying her bill cured me. I no longer dare to dream...I simply can鈥檛 afford it.

Lloyd Atkins,

Vernon, B.C.