Last one for today, I promise.

I received a major treat for my fifteenth birthday: my mother took my family and a couple of my friends to a new place in town called Chuck E. Cheese’s, a pizza joint with video games galore. Because it was a birthday party, our pizzas were brought out by the clown-dressed employee. As the poor fellow was leaving the table, pizzas safely delivered, my mischievous friend Dan got a gleam in his eye and said very loudly, “now everybody, pick up your plate, and yell ‘FOOD FIGHT!'” I guarantee that you’ve never seen a clown-painted face with such an expression of horror. Nor seen anyone do an about-face as quickly as he did, attempting to head off UFPs (Unidentified Flying Pizzas).

(Disclaimer: no food was actually thrown in that instance, Dan was just doing it to get a laugh. The employee’s reaction was icing on the cake.)

Such were the thoughts in my mind when I read about the 200-student food fight in Illinois last Friday. Ah, to be young again.