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I went into our local Toys R Us last evening to buy one of those bopping clown figures as a gag for my office (stress is unreal). After I found the Power Ranger model, I started back toward the registers when I and everyone else in the store heard an ear-splitting howl come out of the electronics area.
I turned to see the source of the outburst. I saw what looked like an unwashed street urchin (ratty hair, dirty legs, filthy clothing, smeared face) of about six years or age run out of the section’s gate opening followed quickly by a woman wearing cheap but conservative business attire. Two young, well groomed girls quietly followed the woman. The urchin had grabbed some computer game and was demanding it be bought for him. The mother looked worn out, but was adamant that the boy could not have the game. She was holding a small item and a card, so I assume she and her kids were there to pick out a present for someone else.
“(FARK) YOU, (BATCH),” the boy screamed at the mom. “I (FARKING) WANT THIS, (GOSH DARN) IT!!!!!”
The mother tried to grab the game from him, but he punched her in the stomach and ran back into electronics area while pushing his sisters out of the way. The two girls looked as if this behavior was no surprise to them and called out to him to calm down.
The next thing we heard was a crash as the boy emptied a shelf of something onto the floor. Mom ran after him, but before she could catch him, he ran back out of electronics and began running toward the back of the store – directly into my path.
I could see the mom had lost control; and since I am not one to stand by passively in such a situation, I broke into what my daughter calls the “Mean Daddy” voice, got on my sternest KILL expression, and threw my arms out while yelling/snarling “STOP RIGHT THERE” at the boy.
It worked.
The boy was shocked, and stopped just long enough for the mother to catch up to him. She grabbed him in a bear hug and held him while he struggled and cursed at both her and me. Then he shot me the finger. She thanked me and started walking back to the front of the store while he fought, thrashed, screamed and cursed madly. She paused to calmly tell the daughters to pick up the gift and card from where she had dropped it when he punched her, take her purse and pay for everything. She and Junior were going out to the car. She also apologized to the store employee who now was standing at the gate to the electronics section, but he looked more relieved that she and the boy were leaving.
The girls meekly did as they were told. I could see through the front window as they left that the mother was NOT being meek with the boy out in the parking lot by her car. If anyone had challenged her for what she was doing, I would have been first in line as a witness in her defense!
I turned to see the source of the outburst. I saw what looked like an unwashed street urchin (ratty hair, dirty legs, filthy clothing, smeared face) of about six years or age run out of the section’s gate opening followed quickly by a woman wearing cheap but conservative business attire. Two young, well groomed girls quietly followed the woman. The urchin had grabbed some computer game and was demanding it be bought for him. The mother looked worn out, but was adamant that the boy could not have the game. She was holding a small item and a card, so I assume she and her kids were there to pick out a present for someone else.
“(FARK) YOU, (BATCH),” the boy screamed at the mom. “I (FARKING) WANT THIS, (GOSH DARN) IT!!!!!”
The mother tried to grab the game from him, but he punched her in the stomach and ran back into electronics area while pushing his sisters out of the way. The two girls looked as if this behavior was no surprise to them and called out to him to calm down.
The next thing we heard was a crash as the boy emptied a shelf of something onto the floor. Mom ran after him, but before she could catch him, he ran back out of electronics and began running toward the back of the store – directly into my path.
I could see the mom had lost control; and since I am not one to stand by passively in such a situation, I broke into what my daughter calls the “Mean Daddy” voice, got on my sternest KILL expression, and threw my arms out while yelling/snarling “STOP RIGHT THERE” at the boy.
It worked.
The boy was shocked, and stopped just long enough for the mother to catch up to him. She grabbed him in a bear hug and held him while he struggled and cursed at both her and me. Then he shot me the finger. She thanked me and started walking back to the front of the store while he fought, thrashed, screamed and cursed madly. She paused to calmly tell the daughters to pick up the gift and card from where she had dropped it when he punched her, take her purse and pay for everything. She and Junior were going out to the car. She also apologized to the store employee who now was standing at the gate to the electronics section, but he looked more relieved that she and the boy were leaving.
The girls meekly did as they were told. I could see through the front window as they left that the mother was NOT being meek with the boy out in the parking lot by her car. If anyone had challenged her for what she was doing, I would have been first in line as a witness in her defense!
and my brother was a demon, and we grew up in the same household. So that's a point for nature over nurture.
and said he was sorry and he never did it again.
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