Beating Up A Boy Scout

 Imagine you are driving slowly through your brand new neighborhood.  It is the 7th anniversary of 9/11, and you find your heart swelling with pride as you notice that so many homes in your neighborhood feature matching American flags in their front yards. 

"Wow, I live in a great neighborhood" you think to yourself.

As you pass the intersection just a few blocks away from home, you pass your sister's house.  You slow the truck down as you notice a disturbing sight.  A pickup has slowed at the curb, and a group of young boys rushes from the bed of the pickup to your sister's yard.  They violently pluck the flag from the lush grass, and make a beeline back towards the waiting truck.

"Not on my watch."  You say to yourself.  You sharply jerk the wheel and come to a stop in front of the house.

"What the heck do you think you are doing?"  You scream. 

The boys freeze in place, turning slowly towards you as one might do to a person aiming a gun at their head.

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You ride along in the back of the pickup, enjoying the breeze in your face and the laughter of your buddies.  The sun is slowly setting on the horizon, splashing an array of pinks, purples and oranges across the sky.  The air smells of outdoor grills and lilacs, mixed in with a little bit of sunscreen smell left over from the day.  Life is good.  You feel proud to be here with your friends.  These boys are like your brothers.  You know in your heart that the task you are embarking on is one that will only strengthen your bond and teach you invaluable life lessons.  As you jump from the pickup bed and head towards your duty, an angry screech pierces the quiet dusk.

"What the heck do you think you are doing?"  The blond woman is storming from her pickup towards you.  Your heart pounds in your chest as you try to decide what your next move should be.

One of your buddies steps forward as the woman gets closer, yelling, "You think it's funny to steal someone's flag on 9/11 ya little punks?"

Ever the valiant soldier, your friend meekly says, "Um, ma'm.  We're the boy scouts.  We put the flags up in the morning and then take them down at night."

Oops.

True story.  I get a call a little after sunset and could hardly contain my amusement as my sister tells me how she yelled at the boy scouts in my yard.  It's now a year later and time once again to make the donation to my local boy scout troop so they can put an American Flag in my yard for every holiday.  I think I should throw in an extra $10 this year, don't you?

Special thanks to my sis for granting permission to share one of her unsmooth moments :)