I recall an incident from my grade school days. At noon, the school cooks served beets. None of us kids cared for beets, but the rule was we had to eat everything on our plates before we could go out to the noon recess. The all clear was sounded, and off we ran to play games and have fun. The bell rang for us to go back to class, but there seemed to be a somber pall in the air. When we were all seated, the superintendent stepped inside the classroom. In those days spankings were quite legal. The man stood looking as intimidating as possible with his fat figure, and he kept popping a ping pong paddle against his leg as threatingly as possible. He announced that one of us little kiddies had dumped their beets on the floor of the cafeteria, and that this crime would not be tolerated. The guilty party was supposed to declare their identity. I was innocent, but was sweating blood nevertheless. Finally a little blond boy cracked under the pressure, and quaveringly declared that it was he who was guilty. The superintendent grabbed the youngster and stepped out into the hallway. Even though the door was closed, we could hear the paddling in progress, interspersed with sobs of pain. I haven't liked beets ever since. :roll: