British Gov't to Schools: Playing Guns Is Natural And Good For Young Boys

(And old boys too!)

So says Jules Crittenden, who adds a lot to the story. JC sounds like a great dad--telling his kids great stories of real heroes and courage, and making them great toys that raise the eyebrows of his Massachusetts neighbors.

One year I wanted to be a knight for Halloween, and my dad took an old four-foot long wooden survey stake out to the garage and chopped and sanded it down into a badass Highlander-style claymore. Actually, he'd be offended if I called it Highlander style, since he would regard that movie as low-rent D&D crap. It was more Howard Pyle/ N.C. Wyeth style:

He made a matching dirk as well, about a foot long--never painted them, but why bother? The form was there. Meanwhile the rest of the costume consisted of...chainmail, represented by a grey zip-front hoodie and matching sweatpants, tucked into my grey Packrats velcro sneakers. My mom sewed a tunic to wear over that, but bless her heart, it didn't impress my friends quite as much. Oh, they didn't say anything bad about it, mind you, because then I wouldn't drive them around for trick or treating.*

Dad who can make cool things=the power to crush the other kids. Well, the other geeky kids who aren't good at sports, anyway. That's something.

Anyway, JC's story may cause Geoff to re-evaluate his love/hate relationship with British social policy. If you need another one in the "hate" column, Geoff, try here.

*Yes I'm kidding. I was eight.