Someone I met today was turning 13.

He was a small kid, much shorter than I was at 13. He and his dad were shopping around for a new computer because it was his birthday! We chatted a little bit, and he was very polite and sweet. He was shy, and extremely respectful, even as I made bad jokes.

I talked to his a dad a little bit, and it turns out they moved here 2 months ago. His son is at a new school and doesn't have many friends yet. He wanted to get into gaming, and he is already playing Minecraft and Roblox. The whole family moved over; wife, sister, and grandpa! We agreed that the most important thing is being together.

The dad shook my hand when they left, and so did his son. His son seemed a little shy about it, and I wasn't anticipating his handshake. He quickly pulled it back when he saw I didn't offer to shake his also. I offered my hand when I saw it, and greeted him happy birthday very loudly.

Being 13 is a weird and precarious age. Some kids act older than they are... And some kids just remind you that they're really kids. That's not a bad thing at all.