Jerks
Kids can be so cruel. We all know that. They can also be so funny. We know that, too, and have even seen specials about it, thanks to Bill Cosby. Kinda like the old Reese’s commercials, where you got your peanut butter on my chocolate and I got my chocolate on your peanut butter, we witnessed a humorous combination of cruelty and hilarity this weekend.
The Scene: Davenport’s Pizza (famous for their square slices) (link, it’s the fourth one down). A nice family kinda place, with kids running around and music playing but not too much music playing and adults all sitting around not worrying about their kids and everyone pretty much having a good time. And the food is good as well.
Our hero, Walker, is “playing” Centepede. I say “playing” because he’s 3 and not really into actually spending the quarters, he just likes to hit the buttons and watch the screen. Glad his mother told me that before I started feeding quarters. Anyway, we’re sitting down, watching, he’s playing, everyone having fun. Enter the evil little girls, about 9 years of age or so. The take over the space-fighter game next to Walker and start “playing” it. This goes on for a while, until the girls tell Walker he’s too little to play, that he sucks and he’s not good at the game.
Well, he’s obviously upset. He comes over to the table, crying about it, but gets a great pep-talk from mom. Practice makes perfect. Having fun is more imporant than being the best. Who cares what some girls say? He is placated and returns to the game, the incident seemingly forgotten.
Sometime later, the little girls are running laps inside the gaming area. Walker is on his stool at the Centepede game, having a great time. The girls run by him, and he, without turning his head or giving any physical sign of recognizing their presence, says loudly enough to be heard, forcefully enough to have meant it, but not with enough meanace to offend any listening adults: “Jerks.”
It may well have been the funniest thing I’ve ever witnessed. I realize it’s not translating well here, but believe me, it was too funny. Jerks.
