Suckey mother/customer, gerat offspring

[mattm04]

With Veterans day coming up I have this great story. It happened a few weeks before Memorial day this year. We have the vets who "sell" the VFW "Buddy Poppy" outside our store before Memorial day each year. One day it was cool, windy and raining, so we let the vet inside the entrance area between the two sets of doors. He had a small table set up wit a cardboard box lid and the money bin and container of flowers. He was sitting near the vending machine.

--Inside the store--
SCK: SC's kid
SC: mom
RC: Random customer

SCK: mommy, *holding out hand full of change* can i have a dollar for a soda, this is close.
SC: *takes change, hands over 1 dollar*here you go
SCK: thank you mommy *mommy on phone, not paying attention to kid*

--in vestibule, i'm talking to a co-worker--
SCK:*walks up to vending machine then sees vet w/ table and small American flag, pulls bill away from acceptor and walks over to vet*
SCK: *to vet* what are these?
VET: *explaining Buddy Poppy concept*
SCK: Well, this will go to a better cause than my soda would have. Here you go.
VET: *holding back tears voice, takes money, gives flower* Thank you Very much!
SCK: *holding flower proudly*
SC: *finally off phone* where's your soda!?
SCK: I gave it to him *points to vet, holds up flower*
SC: *loudly* Well, go get it back. I gave you money for a soda, not a stupid flower.
SCK: But..
SC: Now!
RC: This man, along with thousands of others served and many DIED so you could have everything you have. My brother served in Iraq and the kids their are happy to get a toothbrush, let alone have a nice house.
SC: *bright read* Let's go <kids name>! *run off to closet parking space to store, throw groceries in back of Lexus and speed off*

This all took place in about 30 sec - a minute, so all the customers were stopped to see what was going on. All the people present their gave the guy money, form what I saw most gave about 5-10 bucks. After I told some coworkers they went out and gave him money also. The SCK was only about 10 yrs old, so it was amazing to see the difference between "mother" and daughter.

[powerboy]

I always buy those flowers. And this year, I am putting one on my grandfathers grave-site

[Amethyst Hunter]

Lady, the kind of generosity and maturity your kid displayed should be ENCOURAGED!!

Good on the random customer who stood up and owned the SC!

[The cat whisperer]

SC: *bright read* Let's go <kids name>! *run off to closet parking space to store, throw groceries in back of Lexus and speed off

Sorry, I just have to ask....was the parking space handicapped and if it was did she have a permit? I'm gussing yes and no in that order.

[Marxfan]

That woman ought to be fucking ashamed of herself. What a selfish attitude, and to encourage her kid like that!

But on a brighter, more optimistic note, what a sweet, thoughtful kid. Hopefully Mommy Dearest's ugly personality won't rub off.

[bigjimaz]

...it was amazing to see the difference between "mother" and daughter.

Wouldn't it be nice if, just for once, the way the kid is would rub off on the parent instead of the other way around.

[Lil Bunny]

That made me tear up, get reaaaaaly pissed off then finally bawl at the end. I cannot believe the nerve of some people. On the plus side, that little girl learned two great lessons.

[Nayeli_Sabia]

I remember my mom buying poppy flowers every year. I buy them when i can, but I haven't seen them in a while.

That little girl has her head and heart in the right place

[mattm04]

That made me tear up, get reaaaaaly pissed off then finally bawl at the end. I cannot believe the nerve of some people. On the plus side, that little girl learned two great lessons.

When that happened several people, including myself cried at how amazing the little girl was. I neveer even cried at my grandparents funerals. If I was not in uniform I would have let her hava a piece of my mind too, as one of my coworkers was getting ready to ship out to Iraq that September.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Would the guy have made as much money if Mommy Dearest hadn't been a bitch?

Mysterious Ways, and all that. .

[auntiem]

I wonder who in this kid's life has taught her to be a good person (since it certainly wasn't the mom) - let's hope that person gets sole custody when the divorce finally comes.

[Sliceanddice]

ok the little girl made me cry, not that its hard to make me cry, i cry watching casper the friendly ghost, but god she was the sweetest little thing on earth, mommy was evil

[Tigress]

Gods, I think I channeled my only living grandparent when I read that.

"Ma'am, you should be a-shamed of yourself!" I can just picture my grandmother saying that.

Both my grandfathers served, one in the Army during the Korean "police action" and the other in the Guard. A couple of my uncles served and several of my cousins are getting sand in their boots as we speak. And if fate hadn't intervened, my father and myself would have been in their ranks.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I gave you money for a soda, not a stupid flower

but didn't the kid give mom change in exchange for a dollar that she could use in the machine? so it was her money!

[1756GR2]

Couldn't keep the tears back reading that. I hope that mom got a lesson from her kid. Geez, for her it was just a buck out of her pocket, for her kid it was a good deed. The kid didn't even ask for another dollar for the soda he gave up for the poppy.

My dad was a wounded vet WWII, he made those poppies several times when he was in the veterans hospital. That's where they come from. He's gone, but I still buy the poppies because I know someone somewhere put them together by hand when they weren't at the top of their health.