Read the story and answer the question.

Mr. Philip was sitting by the window looking out into the street. A boy was sitting on a step on the opposite side of the street eating a bun. A dog was a little distance away, watching him hungrily. Suddenly the boy called the dog and said, “Hey dog! Do you want a piece of the bun?” The dog eagerly came forward. The boy held out the bun and just as the dog came near, the boy gave it a hard kick which sent it yelping in pain. The boy laughed and settled down to finish the bun.

Mr. Philip, who saw all this, decided that the naughty boy needed to be taught a lesson. He came out of his house and leaning on a long stick, waved a ten dollar note and asked the boy if he wanted it. The boy gleefully came running up to him. Just as he reached out to take it, the man gave him a sharp blow with the stick. The boy shouted in pain. Tears filled his eyes.

“Why did you beat me? I did not ask you for the money.”

The man replied, “That poor dog did not do anything to you. Why did you kick it?”

The boy realized his mistake. He begged for forgiveness and promised not to hurt any animal in the future.

What was the boy doing at the beginning of the story?