Watching this video reminded me what it was like to be a teenager. Cops, security officers and anyone else who had a bad day thought it was within their rights to do this to us. If only I had a cameraphone back then. I would have had the proof that this kid had.

I love the end of that video. You can hear:

“Is that camera on? If I find myself…”

I can only end the sentence with YouTube. Rock on Eric Bush and his skater friends. Keepin’ the punk rock alive!

That cop got his own beatdown:

• Inner Harbor incident hits Internet — baltimoresun.com

After being a grownup for so long, I forgot how much hassle it was to be a teenager. Listening to this cop berate this kid brought all the memories flashing back:

• The nutcase lady who worked at the jewelry store in Valley Fair Mall who always assumed that we were stealing and went off on Sceverenia that day. She was so angry when she searched us thoroughly and found nothing.

• The cop that pulled up to my Baja Beetle when Pinkston and I were just sitting talking. No trespassing, no drugs, no alcohol. We were just talking. He was so disappointed that we weren’t committing any crimes that he took it out on us.

• The teacher that marked my vocabulary tests down because of grammar errors. I wouldn’t have minded if she had been consistent, but she would ignore the errant commas of her darling students, but mark mine down.

I had forgotten all of those episodes of bullying and unfairness over the years. In retrospect, living well is the best revenge. The nutcase lost her store at Valley Fair Mall when Claire’s came and put her out of business. Of all the crimes Pinkston and I committed, we never were caught. And that teacher? I don’t know where she is now, but spell-check has gently corrected my spelling with loving kindness, making itself virtually useless now. I’m a writer and I put my commas wherever I want now.

Via: Don’t Be Evil: YouTube prevents punk kid from learning his lesson