It’s a hot summer afternoon when Patrolman Cletus arrives at the judge’s farm. Cletus’ prisoner, Arlee, is in handcuffs. Arlee is a career drunk and is known to every cop in the county.

Cletus both carries and drags Arlee around to the back of the farmhouse. The judge is out in the field pulling corn when Cletus hollers, "got one for you, judge."

The judge begins working his way across the rows of corn to the fence where Cletus is holding his prisoner. "Just hold on, boys, I’ll be there directly." At the fence, the judge asks Cletus, "What do we have here?"

"He’s a drunk driver, your honor," says the trooper.

"I weren’t no such thing," interrupts Arlee, "I wasn’t driving, I was parked."

"The keys were in the switch, your honor," says Cletus, "he was trying to crank it up when I got there."

"$10 or ten days," barks the judge before old Arlee can say another word.

"You know I ain’t got no $10," says Arlee, "I’ll have to take the 10 days."

"Fine with me," says the judge. "Climb on over the fence and start pulling corn."

For the next several hours Arlee harvests corn until just about sunset. That’s when the judge calls out, "Wash up, I’ve got a plate of beans, grits, and chicken waiting for you."

After supper, the judge sends Arlee home for the night. "You be back here at first light — you got lots more corn to pull."

Arlee arrives back at the farm as ordered. The judge assumes he’s ready to start back working in the field.

"I can’t pull corn for no 10 days, yer honor. I’m still sore from yesterday." With that Arlee hands over ten $1 bills. "Do I get credit for yesterday?" he asks the judge.

"You do not. The sentence was $10 or ten days — not part of one and part of another. You’re dismissed!" As Arlee wandered out toward the road, the judge knew he’d be seeing lots more of him.