Most of the students in the juvenile detention center likely didn’t expect Christmas day to be like any other. After all, there was nothing that would land you on the ‘naughty list’ faster than the many things they’d done to earn their place in the center.

Marvin didn’t see it that way. These were good kids -- just a bit lost. They had been behaving themselves lately, too; less fights, higher scores on the tests he’d given out. All the more reason to believe they were good kids.

So, come Christmas morning, he stood at his window, watching as the students filed into the rec room. The tree was up and decorated with the ornaments they’d made in arts and crafts, and a gift with each of their names on it lie below. A small box of chocolates, new books. They had earned their gifts.

“If all goes well,” he spoke up, stepping out of his office, “There will be a nice dinner waiting for you tonight as well.”