Dear Editor:

A little after 7 p.m. Tuesday my wife and I were jolted by noises in front of our house. When we looked out of our window, we saw two young children picking up rocks out of our neighbor’s mulch and throwing them across the street at our mailbox.

I went out of my house in my bare feet to chase them away. I saw that the lid of my mailbox was open and that they were trying to land the rocks into it. I told them that if they thought it was ok to do that then go home and do it there.

A short time later there was a knock at our door and a young mother appeared to tell us that her son was one of the boys and that he was there with her to apologize. He was in tears and he presented us with a fantastic note. In it he apologized for a terrible decision to throw rocks at our mailbox and that he told his parents right away because he felt guilty about it. He also added that he would never do that to us or anyone else again.

My wife and I were filled with pleasure to see a child with values tell his parents that he felt that he did something wrong. And that those parents felt that he should also tell us.

A short time later there was another knock at the door and the second child in tears was there to apologize with his mother. We felt that we had just made two sets of friends that night. Good children come from good parents.

The story gets even better. A day or two later, the first boy showed up with a present of pumpkin bread that he had made. And I know that he did help make it – because he would not lie to me. Positively, good children come from good parents!

Nick Ippolito

Bethlehem