Jessica Fletcher was a best selling author of mystery books. She was known the whole world over. Perhaps it was her earlier career as an English teacher but she was quite the perfectionist when it came to her books. She loved researching for her novels. She loved tying up plot holes and figuring out which red herrings to place. She enjoyed confounding her readers with suspenseful cliffhangers that had them furiously turning pages eagerly. But most of all, she enjoyed the freedom to write as she pleased within her own set of rules. Her moral code was cemented in not intentionally offending anyone with similar values to hers.

She found it ludicrous that people wanted to burn books but had no issue with the rampant disregard of the same in movies. Why should the book be banned but not the movie? The book didn't contain nudity, only your imagination could depict the scenes created within your mind. Profanity was so common in movies and yet in books it was considered crass. Of course, Jessica didn't use profanity in life and rarely found a reason for harsh words but if she hammered her finger you can bet she would at least think f*** even if she didn't verbalize it.

At this very moment the school board of Cabot Cove elementary, middle, and high schools were debating whether or not to remove certain books from the library shelves. Pardon me, media center. She was dismayed to find one of her books on the list. The book wasn't even her most graphic. No, the book was 'disrespectful to authority' and labeled revolutionary.

She didn't mind criticism of her books. You can't please everyone and she didn't try. She just tried to write the best she could. Her commercial success was good for validating her desire to entertain her readers but she knew marketing and advertising played a role as well.

She didn't think her books were suitable for children. But by the age of fourteen, they were capable of reading newspapers with much more gruesome coverage of murders. Tears filled her eyes as she struggled to make sense of the narrow minded view of one parent on a crusade to decide what is and what isn't appropriate for ALL students in Cabot Cove.

Tabitha Moriarty was unhappy. She was the proverbial bitter woman, dumped by her husband for someone far more pleasant. After her husband left her, married another woman, and moved on the same block, Tabitha made it her crusade to try to wipe all the joy from Cabot Cove. She didn't consider it made it easier for her children to see their other parent.

Want a parade on the Fourth of July? Don't let her get wind of it or she would be down at City Hall protesting it. Always keep plans secret until it was time to vote so she would be too late to stop it.

Her phone rang and she went to answer it.

"Hello," she answered. It was Seth.

"Jess, the school board decided they would like to hear from you. So far they haven't said what they're going to do about the seventeen books on the list but I'm going to come and get you so you can speak."

"Okay, let me put on some clothes and I'll be ready. Thanks Seth. I know you spoke up for me."

"Ayuh."

Jessica hurried upstairs and changed into a pantsuit and touched up her makeup. She was quietly understated in dress and appearance. She hadn't gone to the meeting, considering it might be awkward for her but she wanted to defend her book.

Seth arrived shortly and drove her to the district offices. The newly built building was adjacent to City Hall. Jessica wasn't sure if the city planners just wanted all protests in one place but it did seem to be the center of activity for any unrest in Cabot Cove.

The School Board Chairman, Lowell Parkinson and the other five members of the board, were seated in the public auditorium. There were forty or so citizens scattered in the one hundred and fifty seat room.

"Ah, Mrs. Fletcher, thank you for joining us. We have heard from many people today and would like to hear your opinion regarding the matter of removing books from the library."

Jessica walked to the front where the mike was located and looked at the school board.

"Good afternoon, I'm not here to tell you what is right or wrong. I believe the adults in charge of filling the minds of our youth are more than capable. I firmly believe that age appropriate material is necessary. The struggle between what is art and what is sensationalism has been debated for centuries. Does a five year old need to know about incest? No. Does the child burdened by incest need to understand? Yes. Whose job is it to teach our children. The parents, for one, the teachers, the clergy, there's a list of responsible adults that we need to nurture and care for our youth.

Is it a threat to authority to have a child tell an adult no? When the parent tells a child to make up his bed and he says, no. There's a problem. When the teacher tells a child to sit on his lap and let him fondle him and the child says no, are we going to say, how dare you disobey?

Reverend Thompson has been the minister of one of our churches for several years. He's a respected man of the cloth. Ezekiel chapter twenty three versus nineteen and twenty states: "Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses." Who is going to censor him and the bible? We don't teach that chapter in the children's Sunday school classes but it's there and any child able to read can find it for themselves or come across it."

Jessica turned to look at the audience behind her. "I would much rather have an adult explain a concept to my child, when appropriate, than to have a child decipher what it means with other children. You know the misconceptions children have about basic topics, imagine what they could do with those verses. Many, and I do mean many, young adolescents have poured over the Song of Solomon in the bible to read the racy texts. It's a rite of passage. Do we forbid them from reading the bible?"

Jessica's eyes turned steely blue as she gazed at Tabitha Moriarty. "When an adult disagrees with another adult, it isn't thwarting authority. There isn't one child mentioned in any of my books. It's a book rated for ages thirteen plus by the Literary Council of the United States, an authority assigned by Congress. It is an act of revolution to rebel against their authority. So let's not argue if my book, or any book is inappropriate but let's see if we can explain things in simple ways that a child could understand, if necessary, and not introduce matters to them before it's needed.

If a parent doesn't want her child to read a book, that's their choice and I believe alternative books should be made available but that doesn't mean one parent gets to decide what every child in the class should read.

Since there are no children inside, I'd like to give a quick demonstration. Dr. Hazlitt, if you would come here."

Seth rose from his seat. He was curious about what Jessica was going to do. He was surprised when she grabbed his shoulders and kissed him passionately. The audience applauded and Jessica broke it off.

"As you can see, no one objected to watching us but then why aren't we allowed to read about two adults kissing?" Seth tried to return to his seat but Jessica held his hand so he stayed.

"There's a painting by Carravagio of the beheading of John the Baptist painted well over three hundred years ago. It's in the National Gallery in London. His head is literally on a platter and blood is depicted gushing from his neck. School children have paraded by this work of art for decades. I have seen this painting and am amazed at it but I'm certain it's for different reasons than a child would have. I've become rather long-winded but I will say, if you don't want to read something because of what it says, then by all means don't read it but don't tell someone else they can't read it. You may express your opinion and explain why you don't want to read it but to forbid others based solely on your belief that you are what the world's inhabitants need is above your pay grade. I believe a much higher authority should judge what is appropriate. This country was founded on certain freedoms. What one person considers respect to authority, another considers it tyranny. One of my favorite movies of all time is The Wizard of Oz, I bet it would be impossible to find someone that hasn't seen it but yet, the book is banned. I find that curious."

Jessica stepped down to applause by most of the audience.

Phyllis Grant was giving her a standing ovation. Whether it was for what Jessica said or her obvious contempt for Tabitha wasn't known. It didn't take long for the school board to announce that the books would remain but any parent not wanting their child to read a certain book could choose an alternative from a list the teacher would provide.

Tabitha made a beeline over to Jessica as soon as it ended.

"You think…"

"Yes, I do," interrupted Jessica. "I think. I wish everyone would." She turned and took Seth's arm while walking away.

"Is it safe to laugh now?" asked Seth.

"Was I too harsh?" she asked.

"Nope, I dislike people telling me what to do as though they were appointed police of the world."

"Exactly. Seth, it's amazing that you understand that but others don't."

"You know what I find really funny?" he asked. "You don't read pornography or even watch salacious movies but you will defend the right of others to do so."

"Well, I haven't been appointed police woman of the world yet." Jessica and Seth laughed as they strolled toward his car. "So many banned books have become best sellers because of it. Their audiences have grown. Most children don't want something until you tell them they can't have it. You'd think people would know that by now."

"Remember Jess, common sense isn't common anymore. It's becoming rarer as the days go by."

Jessica squeezed his arm and smiled at him.

Seth added slyly, "I think you should go to all the schools in Maine and give that talk. I'll volunteer to help with the demonstrations."

Jessica's laughter was spontaneous and she covered her mouth even while she continued to giggle. She might not agree with all speech but freedom of speech is not something she's willing to give up.