How To Traumatize Your Kid: Part 1

The in-laws were in town so we took them to the Byward market on a sunny Saturday afternoon. As we're walking around I notice a busker who is just standing on a stool, frozen in a pose. He's painted blue and wearing blue clothes and wearing a spiked collar.

Kind of freaky looking to begin with. Checkout this link but picture the guy dressed as above.

Assuming that he'll change positions if we put some money in his metal garbage can, I give Jacob (my 2 year old) a twoonie to drop in his bucket. Little Jacob is apprehensive but slowly makes his way in front of the guy.

As the twoonie clangs into the metal bucket, the "blue guy" drops into a crouch and stomps his stool as he does so, scaring the living shit out of Jacob in the process.

The reaction of people around is a mixture of laughing (in that cruel America's Funniest Videos sort of way) and a few sad expressions when they see poor Jacob screaming for his mommy.

Next thing you know, there's a crowd forming around the guy and people are walking up one by one to drop more money in his bucket... each person jumping as he switches poses. He was pretty good at holding a pose, I'll give him that much.

We went for coffees at Starbuck's and when we came back the guy still had a decent crowd around him. It all started by freaking out a 2 year old. When we walked back, Trish stayed on the other side of the road so Jacob wouldn't see him!