Damn Kids

Yesterday in the park I clashed with a group of obnoxious foul-mouthed prepubescent boys (5 kids about 9 or 10 years old). Also in the park, were my two kids (aged almost 3 and almost 7), plus two other kids a bit younger. I walked over the little shits and said very sternly: "There are little kids here, so kill the language." They shut up.

Of course, they left a pile of litter behind them when they finally left, and I would have said something, but they sneaked away. Suddenly, I am left to ponder the word snuck, which sounds like the past participle of a mid afternoon snack.

A few years back, I confronted another group of kids who had invaded the toddler part of a park, and were exuberantly climbing on the monkey bars, etc. They left a pile of refuse on the ground when they turned to go. I said, "You know, I saw the house that you came out of across the street and I am going to knock and that door if you don't pick up all of that garbage you left behind." They cleaned it up.

I could give you more examples, but that would be excessive. I do wonder what I would have done if this most recent group refused to shut up, or, perhaps worse, decided to swarm me. I already know how many 5 year olds I can take in a fight, but these guys were a bit older and might have proven to be tougher. Would it have been excessive to throw sand in their faces and kick them in the groin?