I received this email from my mother this morning:
Your Dad and I have a hard time believing that you would knock a kid down and steal her candy…that doesn’t sound like you….you were kidding weren’t you? I just brushed it aside but he was a little upset. Mom
I didn’t knock down Aileen Quinn and steal her candy. It was a joke. I thought it was funny. I am sorry.

So you didn’t knock her down and steal her candy? Why would you say you did when you didn’t? I can’t believe you would lie like that. You killed my teacher! Why? Why?
OK, I’m confused. I thought you were referring to pushing a kid something like 20 years ago when you were a child. How could a parent have any kind of emotional reaction *now* to something like that?