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Sunday, November 20, 2005

Ollie ollie oxen free

A couple of weeks ago someone kindly welcomed themselves into our garage and stole the garage door opener from my roommate’s truck, along with a tire pressure checker. Strangely, that’s all they took. It was more than enough, though, because since then we’ve had to park on the street and unplug the opener so they can’t welcome themselves back into our garage whenever they want.

So this morning when I was staring out the window lost in thought and two kids streaked by into our backyard, I was pissed. When 10 minutes went by and they were still back there, I pulled myself off the couch and padded to the back door in my bare feet.

When I opened the door, I was surprised by a 14-year-old kid standing right in front of me. He was the awkward 14. Pants too short, hair too curly, teeth too big.

I surprised him, too.

“What are you doing back here?” I asked, trying to sound mean.

He looked away and then spoke in a shy voice:

“We’re playing hide and seek.”

My piss and vinegar was suddenly gone, running down my leg. If someone asked me right now to play a game of hide and seek, I’d be all for it. I love that game. And it’s impossible to be mean to shy, awkward pubescent teens.

“Oh.” Was all I could say. But I felt I had to give some sort of adult direction.

“Just…” I stuttered. “Just close the gate behind you, OK?”

I couldn’t help but smile.

“OK,” he said before I closed the door and went back inside to bemoan my pathetic state of pansiness.

Posted by Aaron on November 20, 2005 5:02 PM