I told Melvin that I had a surprise for him. I told him I was going to put candy in a bag, hang it from the clothesline, and he could hit the bag with a stick while blindfolded. “Like a pinata?” said this super-smart 7-year-old. I have no idea where he learned the word. Emmanuel, his older brother’s buddy and the kid who cleans my house, blindfolded Manzi and then spun him around clockwise and counterclockwise a bunch of times. Manzi, true to form, instead of being dizzy, cracked the bag open on his first try. He really wasn’t clear on what to do next, so I had to pick up the candy and give it to him and others gathered around. I hope to do another pinata with my students at the TTC on Saturday, but my paper mache skills could use a little help so I’ll probably just put the candy in a paper bag.