Parenting FAIL...where else? At the market. (long)

[KiaKat]

I was doing some grocery shopping tonight, forgetting that Shabbos starts tomorrow night, and that therefore, the market would probably be a bit packed.

Well, packed was an understatement. I've never seen it so busy at 10pm.

I puttered around, picking up what I would need for the rest of the week and for the cleaning marathon this weekend. I dealt with the random asshole who didn't speak English (or at least any intelligible form of any language I speak), but decided he had to weave between me and the Other Half (who was driving the cart). I got stuck behind the electric cart, driven by the woman who just HAD to stop every two feet, in the middle of the aisle, and when I asked her to please move for one moment so I could get past her, told me that I was being an 'ungrateful child' and that I 'didn't respect [my] elders.' Having come to the conclusion that people suck, and having been cut off (twice) by the same pair of women, who didn't bother to apologize or excuse themselves either time, I resigned myself to a trip filled with frustration.

Having decided that people can go FOAD, Other Half and I scooted over towards the bread area to pick up our wonderful, tasty, delicious bread, useful for sandwiches and other yummy concoctions. Sitting near the bread was a pallet, with baskets stacked upon it, and wrapped in plastic wrap, presumably to hold the whole contraption together. Right next to the pallet was a small group of four children. The oldest was, oh, probably about 9 or so, and the youngest was a toddler. They had a whole setup going. A couple strollers, a chair, some toys, homework - the works.

The oldest boy, about 7 or 8 (I would guess, I'm not good at ages), was PUNCHING THE PLASTIC WRAP! Just...punching. Until he managed to punch THROUGH the wrap!

At that point, he apparently became bored, and demanded that his toddler sister move so he could sit in her stroller.

"But where," you ask, "where were the parents?"

Ah, that's where the fun comes in. THERE WERE NO PARENTS IN SIGHT.

None.

Anywhere.

I, being baffled by this, looked around for an employee. The only one in the general area was blabbing away on his mobile, which appeared to be glued to his ear. He looked directly at the children, and then....continued blabbing away.

I threw up my hands and headed off to the registers. Not a single person could bring themselves to care that a group of children were completely on their own, and destroying store property.

Next time I go to Whole Foods. They might be overpriced, but at least they don't have unsupervised children destroying the store.

Besides, their smoked fish selection is much better.

[xx_wolfie_xx]

geeze, you make my supermarket visits seem normal, and I'm slightly agoraphobic.

[Becks]

The only one in the general area was blabbing away on his mobile, which appeared to be glued to his ear. He looked directly at the children, and then....continued blabbing away.

There's always the chance, however small, that he was in contact with management, the service desk, whatever.

[KiaKat]

The bit of conversation I heard, involving...what I believe to be his 'trouser snake,' indicated otherwise.

Unfortunately.

That is, sadly, typical of the staff there.

It's a large, 24hr market. That's the best thing to recommend it.

[Becks]

Oh. I see.

I stand corrected then.

*carrying on*

[KiaKat]

Oh, when I saw him, on the phone, looking at the kids, I hoped he was talking to a higher-up.

My faith in humanity was, yet again, ...not quite shattered, but definitely bruised.

[bainsidhe]

That's when, suddenly, you are overcome by the urge to use your outside voice. "Is someone missing some CHILDREN?!?" you declare in an overly concerned voice. In my experience, parents usually come running from embaressment and employees suddenly turn on their missing-child radar. Well, one can hope anyway. It really depends on the location and how sucktacular the parental units are.