EAVESDROPPING ON TWO TEN YEAR-OLD BOYS

by Kim Bosch

At my parents cottage this weekend, two ten year-old boys chat while fishing. They are unaware that I (immersed in my book the next dock over) am actually listening intently, wishing I could join them and not look like a creep. They curse at the fish that got away, the fish that stole the worm, leaving a dangling hook. They swat at flies and yell back that "they so aren't hungry" when their mom calls them in for lunch, even though it smells like barbeque hot-dogs.

Out of the blue, the taller boy extrapolates his deepest thoughts:

Taller Boy:

"You know what I do when bullies -- you know, big kids -- are trying to
bug me?"

Smaller Boy: [riffling through his tackle box, looks up]

Taller Boy:"I yell, 'Hey, look! A Monkey!' [pointing behind the head of the smaller boy] and when they look, I kick 'em in the butt...and when they turn around again, I kick 'em in the nuts."

Smaller Boy: [Shrugs and goes back to his tackle box]

A few minutes later:

Smaller Boy: [smacks a bug on his head] "Gotcha!"

Taller Boy: "Kick 'em in the nuts!"

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