I love practical jokes and watching America’s Funniest Home Videos. I love good-natured pranks.

Today I took Charlie out on a date, just the two of us. He wanted to get his hair cut and wanted a bubble tea and a roti bun. I offered him a milk shake or whatever treat he wanted, and he chose Honey Berry.  I smiled at his Silicon Valley choice.  How many Caucasian kids pick Taiwanese tea-based pearl drinks as their preferred treat? Gotta love it.

We drove over to Honey Berry and ordered his after school snacks and sat down to chat for a little while before heading out for his hair cut, because who wants hair falling in your Roti?  As we were sitting there, I looked out the window and there was a group of about 5 young teens hanging outside. Instead of hanging on the sidewalk, they decided to lean up against my car. This made me uncomfortable and I wanted them to move, but I didn’t want any conflict and I wanted to just enjoy my date.

I sat in this uncomfortable state for a minute, hoping they would leave on their own, but they didn’t. Charlie and I were talking about what to do. I had a plan. I told him to watch as I got out my key and pressed the lock button twice. I was hoping that the clicking sound, the flashing lights and the slight beeping sound would get their attention. It didn’t work. So I decided to see what the Panic button would do. Don’t you always wonder what the red panic button is for?

I shared a sip of his tea and surreptitiously and slowly pressed the panic button and watched them jump. I then proceeded to laugh out loud, hiding behind a bite of his roti bun, acting like nothing happened.  Charlie wondered why I was laughing so hard. They didn’t know it was our car. I loved watching two of the kids jump and the other kids laughing at the jumpers. They all decided to move on their own.  Wasn’t that great?

Conflict avoided. Laughter filled my belly. Stay off other peoples’ cars. Duh.

Life is good.