Anecdote
While walking home today, I passed a kid clutching one of those miniature coke cans in his hand. He was sauntering up his driveway and couldn't have been more than four years old.
We looked at each other. Then he stopped and I supposed he was just shy and was waiting for me to pass or something.
But no.
That little kid was devious. He raised his hand, coke can still clutched in his little fist, and curled his arm backwards -- like he was ready to pitch a baseball. Then he narrowed his little eyes at me, his brain calculating how and when to throw the can so that it would head shot me (ten points!) no doubt.
And, instinctively, I, still striding forwards, thrust out the index finger of my left hand and said, "Don't you even think about it."
He froze. I continued walking and, when I had gone about six feet, looked over my shoulder to give him a beady eye. He was still staring at me, hand upraised, the coke can a small red blur in his palm.
Then he stuck his tongue out at me.
So I stuck mine out at him too.
I'm calling it a draw.
We looked at each other. Then he stopped and I supposed he was just shy and was waiting for me to pass or something.
But no.
That little kid was devious. He raised his hand, coke can still clutched in his little fist, and curled his arm backwards -- like he was ready to pitch a baseball. Then he narrowed his little eyes at me, his brain calculating how and when to throw the can so that it would head shot me (ten points!) no doubt.
And, instinctively, I, still striding forwards, thrust out the index finger of my left hand and said, "Don't you even think about it."
He froze. I continued walking and, when I had gone about six feet, looked over my shoulder to give him a beady eye. He was still staring at me, hand upraised, the coke can a small red blur in his palm.
Then he stuck his tongue out at me.
So I stuck mine out at him too.
I'm calling it a draw.