portent?
today, a boy of no more than 7 or 8 walked in and ordered a classic chicken combo with more capability and decisiveness than i would expect from a 30 year old man. he solemnly punctuated each of the cashier's questions with a polite "no thank you" and "yes please thank you." although his requests and declinations were brief, they conveyed a wordly mien and blue-eyed sobriety, aplomb far beyond his years. i couldn't help but turn to his father who was standing patiently behind his tiny child and remark, "your son is very, very precocious. he's very polite and mature." he looked at me with a curious expression on his face, and replied after a few seconds, "you know, it's strange that you mention it. someone just told me the exact same thing today." the boy paid no attention to my compliment, and walked away to get a straw for his drink. i had an almost unsettling feeling in the bottom of my stomach that i have just witnessed ? a boy with the potential to be a legend . and throughout the day my thoughts kept flitting back to the man and his son with the most peculiar sense of awe, gratitude, and almost a little bit of fear.