Nathan’s face tightened. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he snapped. “You’re wrong.”

The words landed with all the heat he felt and none of the dignity he wanted.

The boys lit up immediately. Now it was a game.

By lunchtime, the story had spread that Nathan had “freaked out,” and even children who had not heard the original conversation had opinions about it.

When his parents later helped him untangle what had happened, he understood the point clearly.

Being courageous was not the same thing as being combative.