Why I wanted to cry... (LONG, but w/ cliffnotes at bottom)

[Mizzikiel]

Alright ... I'm sorry, I am going to be brief here, If I start getting into detail i'll get more angry. As you all know, today was boxing day. I got to work 3-10 at a coffee shop, relatively away from any malls or retail stores, so i figured I was safe. What I didn't know was there were a bunch of punk bands playing at a bar around the corner. This means TONS of little punk kids. I am only 15 myself, but I always make sure to be considerate, it disgusted my what I saw today coming from my generation of kids.

The Girls

First off, there are these girls who are 2 years younger than me, they always come into work and bug me and hit on me as a joke. It wouldn't be bad if it was just like, little stuff, but they are horrible. They yell my name, run around, bug customers, and tons more. The problem is, I don't have the heart to kick a bunch of 13 year old girls out. So, they came in around 8:30. Immediately they began bugging me. Just got worse. They finally left around 9:15. After they got home (I know the one lives about 5 minutes away since she told me to come visit her some time ... ((yeah, like that'll happen))) They began phoning me constantly from them asking for me. Finally my co-worker told them off and they stopped.

The Punk kids.

Starting from about 5, there were numerous college students coming in and out. They weren't being bad, so I didn't care. (I later found out the first group of 8 was actually one of the bands playing) More and more kids started coming in, but again, it wasn't too bad ... yet. Around 8:45 all hell breaks loose, 15 high school kids come in all demanding dough-nuts etc (All of whom are ripped and drunk beyond what anyone should be) Then we serve em all only to see about 10 more college students coming in. They all start wrecking up the place, throwing stuff at each other etc. It kept getting worse and worse. Because we close at 10, we have to throw our dough-nuts out around 9. So at 9 they began yelling at us for it and demanding it for free and all that. Finally, after this goes on,it dies down. There are 2 girls sitting there, so I alert them we're closing the doors and thus we have to ask them to leave. They do so without hassle. I lock the doors and go to mop up the place. I hear giggling coming from the washroom. I alert those in there we locked the doors and to come out with me so I can let them out. These two girls, who can't be older that 16 come out giggling, barely able to walk with eyes as red as Santa's hat. I get to the door to let them out and the first group of 15 are back, all yelling "LET US IN Mizzikiel, LET US IN!!!" and trying to get in. I tell them I cannot and we're closed and the girls start saying "Yeah, you can't come in here" which only aggrivates them, thinking I let them in. I unlock the door quickly trying to get them out, but one of the teens grabs the door. They keep saying "Come on Mizzikiel, please let me in" and I was like no (BTW, I figure I should mention this, they only know my name due to nametag, I didn't know any) One begins pushing me, so I just was like NO and then locked the door as quick as I could. My co-worker was terrified, but even though she is 19, she is very small (not even 5'), so she couldn't do anything other than call the cops (which she was ready to do if anything happened) Upon going and getting the mop bucket again, they all begin hitting the windows and doors yelling for me to let them in. My co-worker went to the back and called her boyfriend asking him to come ASAP. (Her boyfriend is gigantic, and I mean that purely from a muscles standpoint). They finally leave after about 5 minutes. I finished moping and we went outside since our rides were there. As I went to toss in the final garbage into the dumpster, a big van pulls up. The man asks if it is ## Made-up rd. I say yes, he asks if I ordered a pizza, I said no. But I told him where to go and I knew who did, so hopefully he found them.


Therefore, I've decided through this that my generation doesn't deserve to procreate minus about 5%. This coupled with the girls who kept trying to get my attention got me to the point where I was shaking and using every bit of myself not to freak out.

This is also why I hate my job at times.

(I also promise I did not exaggerate or lie for any of this.)


Cliffnotes:

1. Annoying girls come in, act annoying trying to get my attention
2. Punk kids come, cause ruckus, mess the place us
3. Try to rush me to let them in after we close
4. Decided my generation shouldn't be allowed to procreate

... Wow, this was not "brief" by any means ... One I get writing I can't stop.

[Retail Associate]

Wow! You had quite a day. So sorry you had to go through that.

My question is, was there anyone else there at all? A manager or older adult? Who leaves a 15 year-old and a tiny 19 year-old to run a coffee shop by themselves til 10:00 at night?

[PorkChop]

My goodness! I'm so sorry that you had to deal with that. A lot of teenagers now a days are really bad! I am 24 yrs old and if I was working with you, that stuff would of never happen. I certainly would not let any customer harrass you like these kids have. I would ban them coming back since they created a hostile environment for you.
Tell your manager of what happens at night. Hopefully, they'll assign an older adult to work with you at night.

I hope you don't go to school with any of these morons.

[ArenaBoy]

I feel bad and yes our generation is a pain in the ass at times, I myself think 98% shouldn't procreate. You also reminded me of the time I worked Fall Out Boy, it was teenage central that night. The doors didn't open till 6:00 PM and I punched in at 3:00, as I walk to my spot I see enough people to make-up a mini-Woodstock that we had to have security help us out. So don't worry and tell your manager about what happened.

[Giggle Goose]

I enjoyed reading the story; for once I actually didn't feel the need to use Cliffnotes! (And I have a lot in the past ).

There is a gas station by a high school in my town, and a lot of the kids who walk home used to go to the gas station and make a ruckus. Until management decided that their business wasn't worth creating such a hostile environment for both employees and customers who know how to behave in public, so they had to lock the doors when they knew school was letting out! I agree with everyone else that you should talk to a manager, Mizzikiel. It's really a shame that some young people don't have any manners.

[Greenday]

Ah, yes, our generation does suck. Whether it's inhumane or not, I'm all for sterilization of certain people. Out of the gene pool I say! I always hated seeing people I know come into work and ask for free stuff. I have to actually like a person to even consider it.

[AFpheonix]

Perhaps calling the cops on them regularly, especially if they're being a public nuisance, might be a good way to get them to go elsewhere for their jollies. Bonus points if you can get the cops to come when they're a little baked like those girls in the bathroom.

[protege]

That sounds like the idiots that hang out around the local gas station (rhymes with Eatz and has kickass subs). Usually, the kids aren't a problem. However, once school is out for summer, that's when the problems start. They have nothing to do and will hang out down there. Because of that, the cops tend to frequent the establishment simply to drive them off.

That's not without problems. A few years back, one of the kids got shot by police--he was asked to leave many times. When he refused, the cops attempted to handcuff him. As they were doing that, he went for the female cop's gun..she drew it, and fired.

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

"I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on
frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond
words... When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and
respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise
[disrespectful] and impatient of restraint" (Hesiod, 8th century BC).

These kids today!

[Mizzikiel]

Wow! You had quite a day. So sorry you had to go through that.

My question is, was there anyone else there at all? A manager or older adult? Who leaves a 15 year-old and a tiny 19 year-old to run a coffee shop by themselves til 10:00 at night?

Yeah, our manager leaves between 12 and 2, whenever he feels like it. We dont have a night manager. We also dont have many adults who work there. Two are bakers, and they only stay until 8. Two work fulltime mornings and then the manager and one who switches between night and day. I don't know any of them, but my friend said she knew a bunch when I told her, so I don't know what'll happen with that.

But yeah, like I said, procreation = no for my generation

[Becks]

Wow. That sounds like a horrible experience.

Those kids (even the college students) sound like they need some adult guidance.

[Misanthropical]

The gas station by my house has a sign that say only two people under the age of 18 are allowed in at a time.

They never have a problem allowing my three children to go in together though. Maybe, because my children know that if they cause a problem they will have to deal with the wrath of their mother and not allowed to go back.

However, most of the children around here have parents who don't care what their children are doing as long as the children are out of the house and the parents don't have to deal with them.

I can't tell you how many memos have been sent out by management where I live saying that they will hold parents responsible for anything their children do and it could lead to the whole family being thrown out.

[Mizzikiel]

The gas station by my house has a sign that say only two people under the age of 18 are allowed in at a time.

They never have a problem allowing my three children to go in together though. Maybe, because my children know that if they cause a problem they will have to deal with the wrath of their mother and not allowed to go back.

However, most of the children around here have parents who don't care what their children are doing as long as the children are out of the house and the parents don't have to deal with them.

I can't tell you how many memos have been sent out by management where I live saying that they will hold parents responsible for anything their children do and it could lead to the whole family being thrown out.

They have the 2 under 18 rule near me too, but everyone at all convenience stores within 2 km know me (its sad but true) so they don't count me as one of them. I even overheard an employee at the convenience store I frequent most talk to another customer about how well I was raised and how nice I am. When I go there after school, sometimes I'll just do a quick help with something, like put things back there they should be.

[digilight]

Mizzikiel, was this a one time occurrence or does this type of crap happen often? Because if its more then just a one time thing try finding out who the local beat officers are who patrol your area and let them know about the trouble you are having. Especially with a bar around the corner (they will be patrolling there anyway). See if they wouldn't mind making a extra pass or two by you shop.

Hell you're running a coffee shop, at night, see if your boss will allow you to give "cop cups" free coffee to the cops. We used to do this when I worked for Stop-N-Go (now Circle K). It only costs the business a few cents a day if even that much, and it promotes an additional police presence which always helps.

[Mizzikiel]

Yeah, we give all cops everything for free, they love it, and I love it, because most of them are nice and when they go to pay and I say its alright, they pay what they would have and give it to me as a tip.

In the summer it happens more, and we're also open later. in the winter it is rare, which I am going to assume is why there were so little police down there.