Piñata

This week, B3ta asked people to describe interesting fights anyone had ever engaged in at school. Maybe I was off-topic: I don't know, but they didn't pick my story for their 'Best' page this week. Still, I liked my story, so I'll reproduce it here:

I was eight-years old, at a playmate's birthday party, the first time I ever saw a piñata (a hollow papier-mache donkey filled with candy). They hung the piñata from a rope and a blindfolded kid swung at it with a bat. I stood expectantly underneath the swinging donkey, surrounded by playmates.

Whack! The donkey shattered directly over me, and candy showered below. Suddenly, sheer brutality, as every kid attacked. Bloody nose, knocked to the floor, kicked, bitten - I began madly swinging, but was overrun.

Quaint, light-hearted birthday customs teach Mexican kids early about the world....