Minor Miscreant Or Bad Seed?

Brrrrrrinnnnnnnnnnng

"Dad!  You won't guess what!"

"Don't tell me that fool ambulance driver parked within a hundred yards of the . ......."

"Almost.  Gabe was in the principal's office again today.  He and (name excised) were throwing rocks over the fence again."

Said miscreant and aggrieved mother arrive.  I sit the kid down and affix my most baleful stare - my way of initiating a man-to-man.  He's uncomfortable, but unrepentant.  I talk of personal responsibility and sanctions.  Of owning up to wrongdoing and learning from mistakes.  Then his mother comes back into the room, stands over my shoulder.  He removes his attention from me and starts doing the eyebrow thing to his mother.  She holds out for about, oh, maybe a minute, probably less, then snorts, giggles and says "You are sooooo cute!  You crack me up!!" 

Kid gives me the "Who do you think won this round, old man?" look.  Oh, I know, I know.