I sit down with a child in my lap and Freddy approaches. "Arg! Say,'Arg!'"I tell the toddler. Freddy eyes us with jealousy burning in his eyes. "Awg."The child says, and then pokes my nose gently. Freddy takes a quick look and starts to pull a plank of wood off of the Pirate Cove stage. I stand up, assuming he's going to hit me with it. He shoves me aside and pulls the wood up over his head. Before I can realize what he's doing. he smacks the wood, nail-side facing the child, down onto the toddler's body. I run and shove Freddy onto the floor. I see bloody gaping scratches on the child's eyebrow, lip, and neck. Staff runs amok and children are screaming. Bonnie rushes onto the scene and pulls Freddy away from the commotion. I cradle the child and rush him to his mother, assuring her,"The laddie'll be alright, ye'll all be alright." I run and before know it, the child murmurs,"Thank you." They disappear in an ambulance. As I go back behind the curtain for the night, I murmur,"Ye would do the same."
