Bitter life lessons

I happened to snap this picture just before the kid simultaneously tripped Zach and jabbed his right elbow into Zach's ribs. The ref caught it, but the kid didn't get in trouble. It was a sour pill for our son to swallow.  (It lodged in my throat, too.)

The kid in question is known for playing dirty, but nothing is done about it. The kid's parents? Well, the apple doesn't fall far and no one wants to mess with them.  Zach, being obsessed with justice and fairness, was deeply hurt by the incident.  He had no problem with the pain or the resulting face plant. I'm proud to say he jumped right up and got back in the game immediately.

After the game, however, Zach was very sad.  He just couldn't understand why a kid would do that to him when he'd done nothing to the boy.  Every fiber of my being wanted to give the kid's redneck father a piece of my mind.  At the very least, I'd key the bastard's pick up truck.

But no.  I kept my calm.  I'd like to see my children grow up to deal with the idiots of the world better than I do.  As we walked across the fields to our car, the boy and a friend walked in front of us while the kid's father sauntered 30 yards ahead, gabbing on his phone and smoking a cigarette (amongst a crowd of families with small children).  The boy was going on and on about how he was the best player out there and everyone else sucked.  It was all I could do not to beat the kid's head in with my lawn chair.

Sure, I see the big picture.  The kid's starved for recognition.  Dad's a bully.  Son's emulating his only role model.  Negative attention is better than no attention...I feel bad for the child.  But I feel worse for Zach.

Until this game, the world was still a fair and honest place where good people win and bad people are punished.  Today was the first time I saw the start of a crack in that innocent world view and it saddens me to know that the crack will only widen and deepen.  I simply hope I can teach my kids that, while these ignoramuses may get the upper hand on occasion, they aren't worth our anger and tears.

Honestly though, that guy may want to check his paint job after the next game.