The point? Kids will know

Remember the kids who used to sit in the back row at the movie

theater? The ones there for mischief?

Well, they’re now all grown up and working in Newport Beach City

Hall.

Just before the start of a recent City Council meeting, four

high-powered city staffers were sitting together in the back row.

Without giving names, we’ll tell you they’re top dogs in charge of

fire, water, money and mouth-piecing.

The four well-dressed and impressive-looking professionals were

taking turns playing with a laser pointer, seeing who had a steady

enough hand to point its red dot of light in the center of a letter

‘o’ projected onto a screen at the front of the room. When a reporter

entered, one suggested letting her try, the same way that bad kids

sharing a cigarette might try to win over a potential narc.

“I would,” the reporter replied, “but then I couldn’t write about

it in the paper.”