Thursday, July 5, 2007

Patriotic pants

I spent July 4 in Mooresville to water ski and attend a young family cookout. At the cookout I was one of three people who weren't either a parent or a child under 10, but I had a good time.

Just before the fathers unleashed an exorbitant amount of illegal fireworks, the 20 children lit sparklers and wore glow sticks around their wrists and necks. One child drew the attention of a disapproving parent, who sat with the other parents in a wide circle of lawn chairs. The child walked cautiously toward the circle with his head bowed. His dad left the circle for the impending discussion.

"Dad, it's not what you think," the boy said quietly so most of us could not hear. The father listened and nodded to the rest of his son's whispered words.

"OK, go ahead son," he said grudgingly.

"I hope it's what we think," an eavesdropping parent from the circle shouted through chuckles. "If it's not what we think, then something is not right. Keep your son away from my daughter!"

The boy scampered off with a glowing crotch, tens of glow sticks inside.

1 comment:

  1. i can't believe i haven't found this until now. your descriptions haven't lost any of their sharpness and i still love your way with words. welcome back.

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