She exclaimed, with a surprising conviction,

"Bad company corrupts good manners!"

I raised an inquisitive glance her way, and said,

"He's a five-year-old boy.  A bit over the top, isn't it?"

She humphed, retorting, "Ha!  I said it.  And I'll say

This:  the boy is a devil child!  Complete de-vil child!"

I stood there feeling every blink of my eyes.

She really meant it.  And I couldn't fathom.