The loitering kid

[Will-Mun]

So it's my.... third day on the job, Gamestop. Where we buy and sell games. So it's easy to assume we WILL get kids in here from time to time with NO money, just looking to you know, look around for games to beg their parents for.

This kid walks in at, hell, I don't know, 12 maybe? And he's not even looking around, he's hangin at the counter talking to my co-worker, not a big deal right? But then I notice like an HOUR later he's still there... Doesn't this kid have a home?

Me, my co-worker, another customer and this kid begin talking, the kid is ALWAYS three topics behind us, and every time he says something we have to look at him in awe, and explain how we have moved SO far away from that topic.

This kid won't leave, he just HANGS out. It gets to the point where we stop being nice. We don't tell him to leave, but we're just not being 'customer' friendly anymore. The kid insinuates theft MANY times, and we just kinda shoot down his warped reality.
"I'm faster than you"
"Dude! We have you on CAMERA. You told us WHERE YOU LIVE."

He tells us that he wants a PS3 to sell on Ebay, we wax on about how idiotic the EBay sales ARE, mention that he's a kid, how the hell does he HAVE an EBay account, daddy, and how his father should get a cut of the profit.

"Well he's buying the system and it's HIS account, what are you doing? Just typing it up."

He asks to see...um, I think Gears of War, the box I mean, I look at him, smirk, and ask...
"Got any collateral?" Yes, to see one of the boxes, he must gimmie something to hold.

He goes on how he wouldn't steal it. And how he was faster than us anyway. I pick up his WALLET, and say...

"Thats why we asked you for THIS."

The kid hands me back the game, I put it away. He then asks how do we play the Wii demo, we explain the batteries in both controllers are dead, and that we would need collateral again for him to play.

We actually DO require collateral for Wiimotes. Their wireless, and very valuble.

So I get a bit busy, and then notice...

Me:"Is he gone?"
Co-Worker: "Yep"
Me: "Oh thank god!"
CW: "I know that kid comes in EVERY day. I was about to throw him out."
Me: "You know you legally COULD."


I swear, this kid spent at least four hours in the store, bought nothing, and insinuates illegal acts like Fake IDs, Underaged Gambleing, and Theft about a bazilion times.

[BrightEyedKitty]

How old was this "kid"?

[Will-Mun]

Fourteen at most... Still in high school, very much UNDER 18. He has a fake ID, and planned on going to AC with his 'earnings' from the PS3 Ebay sale.

OH YEAH! He also mentioned some E-Bay fraud. Putting up a PS3 on E-Bay, then sending them the box. We mentioned how VERY illegal it was, and mentioned that E-Bay does in fact enforce that, and he, or... actually, his DAD since thats the name on the E-Bay account, could be thrown in jail for fraud.

[Imogene]

Fourteen at most... Still in high school, very much UNDER 18. He has a fake ID, and planned on going to AC with his 'earnings' from the PS3 Ebay sale.

OH YEAH! He also mentioned some E-Bay fraud. Putting up a PS3 on E-Bay, then sending them the box. We mentioned how VERY illegal it was, and mentioned that E-Bay does in fact enforce that, and he, or... actually, his DAD since thats the name on the E-Bay account, could be thrown in jail for fraud.

He was planning on going to AnthroCon? Fun.

Sad news for the boy: Unless he preordered the PS3 (and had the reservation ticket to prove it) Ebay was going to take his auction off the site. They did that to all PS3's that weren't reserves this year...
So, not only would he not have gotten the money, he'd be out the $500-600 for the PS3, unless he was planning to actually play it... which it sounds like was not his plan...

My heart breaks for his dumb arse.

[Boozy]

Sorry you had an "SC" on your third day.
You'll probably get a lot of that, and not just with kids. The good news is, the second they have money, they'll likely buy from you. The PS2 was released right after my husband graduated from university, but before he got a job. He used to go into this local game shop every week and just drool at the games and stuff. He finally got a great job, and he walked in with his first paycheck and bought a PS2 and a bunch of games. He thanked the staff for being so good to him when he was "just looking" and he's now a loyal customer. TOO loyal according to our credit card bills.
Of course, you're right to be concerned about sticky fingers, too. Kind of frustrating to spend so much time watching someone who you KNOW isn't going to buy.

[Will-Mun]

Not anthro... Sorry for you non Jerseyites. AC means Atlantic City, otherwise known as Vegas in New Jersey. Giant ass Casino city.

And yeah, no intention to play it. We basically talked to this kid about that.. He thinks it's stupid that people buy the system and then DOESN'T sell it. "Why would you buy it and play it when you could senn it for 16 grand?!"

Me and my co-worker look at eachother for a moment and then say together....

"Cause thats what it was MADE for!"



And don't worry, I don't even MIND loiterers. They're cool cause their gamers like me. I could talk your ear off if you'd let me. There was another guy who came in that day and spent a couple hours there, HE was cool. But it was just this kid was SOOOOOO annoying. We were SO glad when he finally left.

Gamers are cool. This kid... not a gamer.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Well then, that be another illegal act loitering kid insinuated.

I don't think they let 14-year-old kids into casinos, even with adult supervision.

[AFpheonix]

In some ways though, I feel bad for him, because it seems like he's trying so hard to impress you in the only way he can, by making himself sound all badass, and just coming off as annoying. He probably annoys the living hell out of his classmates, too, and I'm sure they're not so nice to him when they give him the brush off. Here's to hoping he blossoms someday.

[Department stores *sigh*]

heh yah i love when im working in home e and i have some kid who is almost as much as a gamer as i am (its hard to match me and one of my roomates) but it gets on my nerves when they think they know more then me or they just start talkin smack couse im older and i guess they wanna be cool or something. I usually just stare at em and say something like 'ummmm that will be 24.97 have a nice day' and shoo em off

[Will-Mun]

Well then, that be another illegal act loitering kid insinuated.

I don't think they let 14-year-old kids into casinos, even with adult supervision.

Yep yep yep. Gotta be 21, and I TOLD him that.

"Uh, you're too young to be gambleing."

"Thats what fake IDs are for."

[TennesseePieman]

Yep yep yep. Gotta be 21, and I TOLD him that.

"Uh, you're too young to be gambleing."

"Thats what fake IDs are for."

Yeah, 'cause 14-year-olds (especially this one) can fake adult behavior SO well, casino security will be TOTALLY fooled.