An adorable 4-year old boy or a hardened criminal? I bet you couldn't tell either...

I am running behind on posts because we have had some very inconsistent internet access the last week. I am trying to get caught up so there are going to be multiple posts showing up from Ozell and me.

This post goes back to when Ozell and I were sitting on the main square in Salvador during the late afternoon. We were having a couple beers in what amounts to a beer garden on the square. Many locals will set up and stock their individual booths with beer and liquor and then operate a small bar out of them on the public square. They fight over customers, but they share the common tables and chairs. At the time Ozell and I were sitting at one of the tables, there was barely anyone else sitting down. In fact, the attached picture was taken just a few minutes prior to the following episode. The event happened at the table with blue chairs seen over Ozell's right shoulder. The people to the left of this table in the picture had departed by the time of the incident, but a group of three locals had sat down at the table prior to the event.

A few tables away there was a boy who could not have been more than four years old. He was shirtless and sloppily eating a sandwich. I thought he was cute and figured he must have been one the bar workers' child. After finishing his sandwich, he sat at the table for many minutes just watching and playing with the crumbs he spilled on the table. He looked at Ozell and me but not any more often than I would look at him. He finally got up and slowly started wandering through the scattered and entangled tables and chairs. At the other end of this area, a group of three locals had sat down to enjoy a refreshing beverage themselves. After a few minutes of winding his way through the tables, the boy had come to within about ten feet of the locals sitting down. He continued to just look at the rocks on the ground or gaze in far off directions, but then he made his move!

With an energy and vigor of a mini lightening bolt, he darted towards the arm of one of the local men. This man was one of the many locals who tried to sell tourists trinkets and charms that he carried in his hand. The boy gripped these trinkets and tried to run away with them. However, the trinkets were still in the man's hand and wrist, and his reflexes were still sharp enough to respond successfully. In a split second, the boy realized he was not going to be able to steal anything and darted off into the expanse of the square.

The local man had arisen from his seat and scolded (or cursed) at the boy as he darted away. Then his eye turned to another boy who stood behind a nearby light pole. This boy was older and about ten or so. The local deduced (and I believe he correctly deduced) that this older boy was the "teacher" of the younger. He was overseeing the operation from a short distance. He may even been providing signals to the four year old on whom to target and what to try to grab. The local man was more vocal and scolding towards the older boy, who after a few seconds, walked away relatively non-chalantly.

In a manner of 20 seconds the entire episode was over- from the initial grab-n-dash to the scolding of the older boy. The local just sat back down at the table with his two friends and continued imbibing his cold beverage which I imagine tasted either better or worse than before depending on whether he was happy to successfully fend off an attempted robbery or whether he was pissed that the attempt was made at all. Ozell's back was turned towards the attempted theft so he did not have a good view. But that is when we realized that the cute little four-year old, was nothing more than a predator. Much like a young lion honing its skills in the savannah. He watched his prey from distance making sure not to be noticed. We are sure he was mentally scanning the both of us, but we did not have anything easy to grab. Today, Ozell and I were healthy gazelles and not easy prey. He did spot the young or sick wildeebeast not too far away. He took his time and slowly stalked closer to his prey again taking care not to be noticed. Then when he was in striking distance, he pounced! But this wildeebeast was just a little too agile for his undeveloped skills and was able to get away.

But for him that is okay... He will live to hunt another day. And his teacher, probably his own older brother, will help him refine his hunting prowess. There will be plenty of wildeebeasts and gazelles that fall in his claws in the years to come.....

So I ask you again... An adorable 4-year old boy or hardened criminal? I still bet you wouldn't be able to tell either.

Cheers,

Sean