evidence

The story behind the evidence photo.

My little nephews Colin and Liam dog pile their cousin Lyndsy on the beach. I think it is so cute, I snap a couple of shots. Moments later, I see Lyndsy is crying.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

“He pulled my ha-a-a-a-ir. Colin pulled my hair.”

Colin’s dad, my brother Joe, quickly steps in. “Say you are sorry for pulling Lyndsy’s hair, Colin. She’s crying. You hurt her.”

Three and a half year-old Colin, trembling with indignation from head to foot: “I didn’t do it. I didn’t do it. I didn’t pull her hair.”

Me: “Joe, look at this photo.” The photo shows Colin with hands firmly planted in Lyndsy’s hair. It is now evidence.

Joe: “Look at this, Colin.”

Colin, still shaking with righteous anger: “I didn’t do it, I didn’t- (sees photo). That’s not me. That’s not me in that picture.”

We laughed so hard at his defense that the whole thing was dropped.

Though my sister and I think that kids of a certain age can really convince themselves that they didn’t do anything wrong. And criminals do it all the time.