A Surprise Changed My Life

Have you ever done anything really bad? I have, one time.

At fifteen I had some wanky friends that did things I learned were bad. They were thieves, stealing things from porches. Packages, left out toys and bikes that they sold. After a lot of teasing that turned into slurs about my humanity, sexual preference, courage, etc. All the usual teenage stuff from your peers because you don't go along.

I finally gave in one night on my way home. I saw a present on a porch. No street light and a dark house convinced me I could do it so I stole it. I got it home and opened it to find one of the old Pop Goes The Weasel toys, old and used. Why would they give a used toy?, was a thought as I started to crank it.

I liked hearing the music-box tune so I was bent over it, waiting for the head to spring out. When it reached the "Pop" part it did and a boxing glove hit me on my forehead sending me sprawling on my back.

Whoever set it up had extended the action with a stronger and longer spring. It took me an hour to get it back in, latched and repackaged, another two hours to get it back on the porch.

Two days later my father laughed reading the paper. "Here you go Steve, a good reason to get rid of those friends. You know Dan Tucker, right? One of your group?"

"Yes , dad. Why?"

"Read this."

"Dan Tucker, a sixteen year old was treated for a spiral fractured femur after a child's toy he'd stolen punched him in the nose and he fell down a flight of stairs. He's being charged with theft and is expected to ..."