He had watched his father use money and charm and confidence to try to crush the two people he was supposed to protect, and he had watched the patient, unglamorous machinery of the law refuse to let it happen.

And of the two forces, my son had chosen to give his heart to the second one.

That, I think, is the opposite of cynicism.

That is a boy who looked directly at the worst thing and decided to spend his life building the thing that stops it.

“I like the idea,” he said, “that rules exist so people can’t just bully others because they have more money or tell better lies.” I reached down and squeezed his hand.

“You are going to be an incredible attorney one day,” I told him, and I meant it with my whole heart.