Tonight I was out for a walk with my mid-teenage son, and we were coming upon what appeared to be a sweet family scene. In a half-moon street with a round patch of grass at its center, a family of five playing kickball. The Dad was pitching, two sons at first & second and their daughter (about 6) at third. The Mom was complaining about the Dad’s pitches, saying that they weren’t centered. The Dad kept saying “I spunning it, I spunning it!” (Interesting grammar, there). No matter, they were having fun, and it was good to see a family out playing on a weeknight.
Then just as we were passing, the Mom kicked the ball between second and third, the kids went running and the Dad caught the Mom as she headed for 1st.
She shouted “That’s interference! F*** YOU!”
So much for the early Spring idyll.
Now, I truly appreciate her frustration over the moment, but it saddens me that ‘F’-Bombs’ have become so common in public language, especially parents in front of their kids. What a horrible example. I’m not asking people to stop swearing*, but I only wish that people would remember their environment when they have the urge to curse. Especially in public. Will mankind ever outgrow swearing? Probably not. But I truly hope we won’t outgrow courtesy.
*It actually helps when you injure yourself to use real swear words
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