Massachusetts State Representatives Charles Murphy, of Burlington, and Patrick Natale, of Woburn, who are running against each other for a Senate seat, got all snippy with each other in the House chamber last Thursday.

Murphy and Natale generally acted like two brothers who do the "Ma! He's touching me!" routine in the backseat of a car on a long road trip. Murphy told the Globe, "Natale employed a four-letter word or two and poked his finger at him."

Murphy did not appreciate the poking and swatted Natale away. Things swiftly deteriorated: "But one witness said Murphy had grabbed Natale's finger and bent it….They separated but continued to throw epithets at each across several rows of desks."

After a light admonishing, the two legislators were given juice and then sent to the quiet corner of the Chamber for a much-needed nap. This isn't the first time our local leaders have demonstrated a clear need for charm school. Read about the police officer "belly-bumping" in Gloucester or the aggressive pointing between UMass leaders and professors.

Screengrab from the 1950 instructional film "Sleep for Health," which is under a Creative Commons license at the Internet Archive.