Whatcha' doin?

I remember when we went back to Ft Worth for the 2nd year of school. Right across from the church and school a builder had built multiple townhomes in his 1st phase and had defaulted or went bankrupt or something, anyway the church bought the whole lot. Some they sold to church couples or families and some they turned into student housing. I moved in to one such townhome which was shared with another single lady and her son.


I noticed after school my son made a bee line for his friends who were out in a large vacant area behind the townhomes and would play till dark or Mom's started calling for their kids which ever happened first. I asked my son one evening "What are you guys doing out there?" He said "Gigging rats" I said "What" to which he replied "Gigging rats." I proceeded to tell him not ever to do that again and explained to him how dangerous that could be.


A couple of evenings later I saw the huddle of boys there again. I called to my son who either ignored me or could not hear for whatever reason so I started walking toward them. Eventually he saw me and came running to me. I told him in no uncertain terms to "march it to the house boy" and booted his rear a couple of times for emphasis. Boy-was he mad at me.


Once inside the house he told me "You embarrassed me in front of my friends." I told him I was sorry but someway....somehow....I have got to get you to understand that gigging rats can be dangerous. One could run up your pants leg and bite you and they carry all kind of disease. And he said "Mom-we weren't gigging rats." I responded that I was really sorry-I thought you were that's why I came. And I am genuinely sorry that I embarrassed you in front of your friends, and I mean it."


By the way "What were you doing out there?" Mom-We were teasing scorpions." AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!