[ WP ] At birth , everyone is randomly assigned one law they can break for the rest of their life . You are given ... .. loitering .

Marcus stands in front of that same 7-11 as every day, watching as other people speed, steal, and jaywalk. He stands there every day, loitering, watching what crimes everyone else is allowed to commit, while he ’ s only allowed to loiter. The police became too effective about twenty years ago, so they had to make things a bit more interesting. People get bored when there isn ’ t crime or drama, and people tend to leave the city or the country when they get too bored. That ’ s when Rawlins had a great idea to keep things interesting. When someone is born, their father pulls a piece of paper from a big box which contains a crime their newborn child will be allowed to commit for their life. This information, along with other vital information about the baby, is implanted in the newborn baby in a small microchip on the back of its neck. There was much debate and argument about this, but in the end it was clear that this was the best thing for people and the safest. The crimes in this box were virtually any crime, with an equal chance of picking anything. It allowed riches in those that could avoid taxes or cheat the stock market. It allowed legal addiction of drugs or gambling as a minor. The worst crime to have pulled was murder though. People were afraid of those that could kill legally. Killing legally made people unpredictable, and knowledge of a free-murderer made that person a target for illegal murder. No one questions this system anymore. The police and politicians were right that it kept everything interesting and kept people from moving out of Rawlins, Wyoming. 
 
 Then there was Marcus, an only child born in the fall. His father was allowed to text while driving, and his mother could vandalize. Neither really used their freedom out of respect for safety and public beauty. It was normal for people to live life as if they didn ’ t have a legal crime, most crimes are meant to keep people safe or the world beautiful. Marcus, however, did use his crime almost daily. He was allowed to loiter. He was allowed to stand outside of businesses or wherever he pleases for as long as he pleases. At first, he was jealous of the more fun crimes such as speeding and drug possession. It wasn ’ t until he graduated high school that he really began to appreciate his crime. He enjoyed people watching, and writing stories about the legal criminals that live in Rawlins. Every day, he leaned against the front wall of 7-11 and watched. He even got into law and writing ethics of legal crime and its importance to this city. Like everyone else, he agreed with this rule and thinks of it to be an essential part of Rawlins. He ’ s even published a few of his writing pushing for this to become a national ruling, but right now it doesn ’ t look hopeful. He ’ s planning on going to college next year, getting into law and policy. For today though, he ’ s just leaning against that wall at 7-11 and watching as other speed, steal, and jaywalk.
