overheard outside the 'Y', in the golden tunnel

Two little boys had things with wheels so they went down the wheelchair ramp. It's not just for wheelchairs, I know. I suppose that is an old fashioned way to refer to the ramp. Oh well. I'm old.

One boy had a tiny bike, no training wheels. The other boy, much smaller, had a scooter.

The dad had gone down the steps and was savoring watching his boys somewhat awkwardly traverse that ramp. Dad kept saying "Watch out for pedestrians". Truth told, the pedestrians had to watch out for the boys. Their focus was on rolling their wheels. Each of them could barely control their wheels. It was delightful. The doting father loving his boys, the boys proud of doing down the ramp by themselves.

When they both got on the sidewalk, dad called out "Now we're going this way," and he pointed, "and there are lots of pedestrians so ride single file."

The bigger boy took off. He was at ease actually riding his bike on a flat sidewalk so he shot ahead.

The little boy said "Hey, look at me, I'm being nice by letting you go first."

No one responded to him so he repeated it, "I'm being nice by letting him go first." This time his dad acknowledged him.

"That's right, buddy," dad said, "You are being nice. Good for you."

So much love in what is probably a routine Saturday trip to the Y.

In my personal, uninformed opinion, the little boy was putting on a brave face and staked out the "i'm being nice" territory because he had been his brother's equal on the ramp, the two of them rolling side by side but once the bigger kid shot ahead, the smaller one remembered "Oh, I'm smaller."  He had not chosen to let the big brother get ahead.

Good parenting, I think. The kid was giving himself positive messages, instead of squabling about who got to be in front, he made it about being nice.

I definitely am in the golden tunnel.