“Oh my God, somebody’s got a gun!”

**POP** **POP** **POP**

“Oh my God, somebody’s got a gun!”

Children cried with confusion as their parents frantically grabbed them from the playground and ran in the other direction.

And my father was responsible for it all…

Not 5 minutes earlier, it was just another peaceful summer evening in Canada.

As the sun set, my father and his friend walked along the trail by the park.

But little did the families nearby know, they had sinister intentions.

Careful not to tip anyone off, they hid the explosives in their jackets.

With each step they took closer to the park, my father’s heart raced.

“Alright, here’s as good a spot as any,” my father’s friend told him.

They gave each other a quick glance of reassurance, perhaps hoping the other would back out.

But they knew it was already too late.

The explosives were out.

They prepped themselves for the chaos that was about to follow.

The only sounds that could be heard were the crashing creek, chirping birds, and in the near distance…

Children shouting.

For a moment, it was as if the entire world had turned off.

And then…

**BANG**

3 sharp popping sounds followed.

Gun powder filled their nostrils.

The cool evening air in their lungs was met with charred smoke.

Flashes of light contrasted the evening sky.

But that’s when my father deviated from the plan…

“Oh my God, somebody’s got a gun!” he yelled spontaneously. His friend looked at him .

The plan was to set off some firecrackers and have bit of fun, not cause a mass panic.

But it was too late.

Immediate terror broke out at the playground.

Parents shrieked in horror and fled toward safety with their kids.

My father and his friend realized this was about to get hairy, so they fled the scene. Soon after, police arrive on the scene looking for a suspected shooter.

As my father told me this story, I looked at him in amazement. A miraculous of his display of stupidity.

But despite the immaculate levels of idiocy, there’s an interesting lesson in here, believe it or not…

The framing effect.

This is when someone’s perception or decision is influenced by how information is presented to them.

For example, when the firecrackers went off, they made a loud noise. Normally, people would probably think they’re firecrackers. But, my father yelling, “Somebody’s got a gun” framed the same sounds completely differently, causing a completely different reaction.

I could say the same about this newsletter.

I left out certain details until the end and elaborated on other details at the start to create a high-stakes story to engage you.

If I gave you all the details of the story from the start, it would have been much more boring.

So, the next time you create a post on social media, write a blog, or post a newsletter, keep in mind you don’t have to give all the information away. Think about how you can raise the stakes and build suspense. How can you piece the same information in a new way?

Much love and happy Thursday.

Your Canadian friend,

Dakota “I don’t have a gun” Robertson

P.S.

Yes, this is a real story. My father is this dumb. Here’s a piece from an article from our local city.