March 3, 2013

Unsuspecting children

You hear it all the time. "A dangerous predator was lurking right next to unsuspecting children!" The phrase always makes me wonder -- where are all the suspecting children?
I picture a group of these suspecting children. They're hanging out in a small, dark park hidden beneath a dense canopy of trees. The leaves not only block the light but hide the meeting spot from the view of passersby. 

Lurking in the shadows, the children cast furtive glances at one another. Occasionally, one will nod to another. There is a smell of cigarette smoke in the air, though they never let you see them smoking. They're sly, these children. And they know how to keep a secret. What happens in this park, stays in this park.
My point (you didn't think I had one, did you?) is that there is no need to say "unsuspecting" when referring to a child. It's part of the job description that a child be unsuspecting.

And while I'm at it -- there is no such thing as an "underage child". Someone checked last year and all the children were exactly the right age. You can google it if you don't believe me.

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