'If you beat them, they will come.'

So they opened up a Dunkin Donuts across the street from our apartment. (Cue the harps, please.) It's fucking fantastic timing and nothing makes me happier than showing up 20 minutes late for work because I had to stop and wait on line to get my iced toasted almond coffee. I'm not even being facetious - I'll wade through shark infested waters if it means there's a doughnut and coffee on the other end. But I digress...

So I'm leaving the Dunkin and step into the parking lot when this massive Tony Sopranoesque man is walking with his 4-5 year old son and the boy takes off across the lot. He shouts at the kid to stop, well it was more like "AY! GET OVA HERE!!!". The child paused for about 2 and a half seconds before taking off again towards their vehicle. The man shouts again and proceeds to sprint towards him and grabs the boy by the back of the shirt. Now, it was a relatively small parking lot. There were no cars driving through the lot at the time, and I completely understand where Tony was coming from. Had there been a car coming, little Tony could have been hit. With that said, If I were Tony Jr., I think I might have opted for the car to impail me than feel what was coming from good 'ol pop. The man grabs the kid by the shirt, raised him up off the ground and began wailing him in the ass with his hand. Everyone stopped and stared in shock as this guy was beating this little kid. An older woman went so far as to say "What are you doing to him? Stop that!", to which Tony replied "Why don't you mind your fuckin' business!" and threw the kid into the back of the mini-van. Ok look, I don't have children - nor do I care to, but if your gonna spank your kid, at least do it where the kid's not on public display. TRUST me, the kid will probably not remember the pain inflicted, but he WILL remember you humiliating him in front of the holiest of holy coffee-houses - Dunkin Donuts. Tony, Tony, Tony... maybe he's still pissed his show got cancelled. Hell, maybe he's pissed Carmela got her own show. (Nurse Jackie is so good: Showtime, Mondays 10:30pm)

On a more serious note, Dunkin Donuts has been giving away free coffee at 12 locations in NYC after being taken over by the Canadian chain "Tim Horton". I don't know this "Tim" person is, but his coffee better be worth the trip......