In 1982 when I was a lad of twelve, we were living in New Zealand. During the week leading up to Guy Fawkes (when it is observed with fireworks), I bought with my pocket money a Bridal Veil “flower pot” (kind of a miniature Roman Candle). It gave out a bright white shower of sparks, and me and a friend set it off under the bridge on which the main drag of the town I lived in was on (it crossed a river).
All was safe and OK, but to think that me and this friend set off a firework in this location and no eyebrows were raised whatsoever. I certainly can not imagine this being able to take place now.
As a kid (up until 14 or so) I was a real menace. Lots of stuff that I probably SHOULD have been arrested for but didn’t. The following is just what I got caught doing:
Throwing a rock through a black family’s window. (With a bunch of other kids - police gave us to our parents. We had to say sorry and pay for the window)
Shoplifting.
Giving a bloody nose with a snowball. (TWICE!)
Playing “King of the Jungle” on the merry-go-round - throwing kids off of it as it spun around. (The school ended up taking it down).
Graffiti on a neighbor’s house.
That doesn’t include all the other stuff where I DIDN’T get caught.
Although I did get it out of my system early on thank goodness. I still did stupid things as a teen and in college (and beyond) - but not malicious. And after I got caught shoplifting in the sixth grade I never even thought of stealing something again.