Ignoring the Force

Just before sunset I took Lilly and Ann to the playground next to Lilly’s school, and at dusk mosquitoes attacked. Me especially, since I was parked on a bench. The kids were in motion too much to be bitten. Mosquitoes haven’t bothered me much this summer, which was a surprise, since it was a wet summer. Maybe municipal mosquito abatement has slacked off lately.

I saw a boy of about 10 talking to a slightly younger boy who was absorbed in downing the contents of some kind of drink box. Or rather the older boy was talking at him. “Do you know Star Wars? (No reply.) Do you know Star Wars? (Ditto.) Do you know Star Wars? Do you know Star Wars? Do you know Star Wars? Do you know Star Wars? When a child is ignored, he tends to repeat himself.

“I can knock you over with the Force,” the older kid finally said, motioning with his arms, but before anything like that happened, another kid distracted the both of them. Seems like random acts of playground violence would be a function of the Dark Side of the Force, but what do I know?

I know Star Wars. It was a movie, as I recall. Summer of ’77. The movie DVDs are out now, and that marketing effort probably has a lot of kids abuzz. Nice work, Mr. Lucas. Someone whose parents possibly weren't old enough to see the original movie that first summer nevertheless knows about it, to the point of badgering other kids. Now that’s a franchise.