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Jun. 5th, 2008 06:19 pmWe've had problems off and on in our neighborhood with some hooligans - nothing incredibly violent, but some petty theft, and, more frequently, windows being broken. Not in the houses, but in any one of the three elementary schools across the street.
So yesteray afternoon when I saw a group of boys about 12 years old headed across the school yard carrying some fairly hefty-looking sticks, I decided to step out into my front yard and keep an eye on them, expecting the worst. As I pretended to take great interest in my weeding, the boys came closer, and I saw that what they were actually carrying were broomsticks, cut down and painted red, blue, or green, and wrapped with black tape at the base.
Within minutes I heard something that almost made me fall over laughing.
*Whizz!* *Whoooom!* *Whooooam!* *Zzzzzzzt!*
"Use the force, Luke! You shall defeat him!"
Yep, Star Wars. Complete with sound effects, and one kid who did a pretty impressive imitation of James Earl Jones - not a small feat when you're a blond-haird, blue-eyed Dutch boy whose voice hasn't even cracked yet.
They ran and jumped and smacked light sabers around, and at some point one of them pulled out a red stick with the black tape in the middle, a la Darth Maul. They were taking turns trying to flip it around the way the character in the film does, but weren't having much luck.
I couldn't resist. I walked over to them, and asked one of the boys to hand me the stick. Immediately, they panicked.
"We weren't doing anything wrong, mevrouw!" They actually *looked* guilty, but I suspect it was more embarrassment than anything else.
"I know you weren't. I'll give it back, I promise. May I have your light saber?" Six pairs of eyes popped. I knew about Star Wars! But I was OLD!!!
The boy held it out to me, and I proceeded to demonstrate just how useful baton twirling lessons can be if applied in a non-traditional manner. I twirled it around a few times, behind my back, under my knee, and then before I had time to think better about it I tossed it up in the air.
Thank goodness I managed to catch it (barely). It certainly would have been humiliating if I'd dropped it - or worse bonked someone on the head. I got a round of applause, and spent the next half hour or so teaching the boys how to twirl a light saber and look cool at the same time.
I am now known as "Mevrouw Maul" amongst the kids in my neighborhood. *cheesy grin*
So yesteray afternoon when I saw a group of boys about 12 years old headed across the school yard carrying some fairly hefty-looking sticks, I decided to step out into my front yard and keep an eye on them, expecting the worst. As I pretended to take great interest in my weeding, the boys came closer, and I saw that what they were actually carrying were broomsticks, cut down and painted red, blue, or green, and wrapped with black tape at the base.
Within minutes I heard something that almost made me fall over laughing.
*Whizz!* *Whoooom!* *Whooooam!* *Zzzzzzzt!*
"Use the force, Luke! You shall defeat him!"
Yep, Star Wars. Complete with sound effects, and one kid who did a pretty impressive imitation of James Earl Jones - not a small feat when you're a blond-haird, blue-eyed Dutch boy whose voice hasn't even cracked yet.
They ran and jumped and smacked light sabers around, and at some point one of them pulled out a red stick with the black tape in the middle, a la Darth Maul. They were taking turns trying to flip it around the way the character in the film does, but weren't having much luck.
I couldn't resist. I walked over to them, and asked one of the boys to hand me the stick. Immediately, they panicked.
"We weren't doing anything wrong, mevrouw!" They actually *looked* guilty, but I suspect it was more embarrassment than anything else.
"I know you weren't. I'll give it back, I promise. May I have your light saber?" Six pairs of eyes popped. I knew about Star Wars! But I was OLD!!!
The boy held it out to me, and I proceeded to demonstrate just how useful baton twirling lessons can be if applied in a non-traditional manner. I twirled it around a few times, behind my back, under my knee, and then before I had time to think better about it I tossed it up in the air.
Thank goodness I managed to catch it (barely). It certainly would have been humiliating if I'd dropped it - or worse bonked someone on the head. I got a round of applause, and spent the next half hour or so teaching the boys how to twirl a light saber and look cool at the same time.
I am now known as "Mevrouw Maul" amongst the kids in my neighborhood. *cheesy grin*
