seven seconds

Isn't it odd how incidents seem to proceed with their own momentum just by the participants reacting in their own particular pattern? Here's an example :  Dog and self, on the way to dig some beetroot for tea, emerge from a side lane onto the road where the afternoon migration of schoolchildren is ambling past (the general public).  Four boys - twelve, thirteenish - are loitering a yard or two in front of me when a speckled wood butterfly flutters past (innocent victim). First boy instantly claps his hands wildly trying to catch it (journalist). Second boy asks  'Wotcha do that for?' (TV interviewer). Third boy walks on feigning indifference. (police officer). Fourth boy jumps around, screeching at the butterfly which is now on the ground, wings folded. He pokes it, it opens its wings, he screams and stamps on it, grinding the insect to nothing (Newspaper proprietor?).  The whole incident takes seven seconds

                                                                                                 (Butterflies by Escher)