. But when they saw a harmless elderly woman with a box of vegetables, their determination faded.

The woman stood beside neatly arranged tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. She wore a worn-out sweater and a faded skirt.

— Ma’am, do you know that selling on the street is prohibited? — one of the officers asked calmly.

— I know, my dear, — she sighed. — But I need money to buy medicine for my sick son. He has no one else, and there’s no help from anywhere.