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It's one of those fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk days, around 95 degrees and humid. A couple of sweaty neighborhood boys come in and ask for water. Normally we charge a quarter for a glass of ice water, but it's sweltering outside and they look pretty hot, so I give them each a small cup. They drink up and leave.
Now, these are some of the local kids who are notorious for swarming the store in large groups, making a mess of the fountain area and not having any concept of math or money (the brightest among them can almost count to potato, but they seem to have very little trouble remembering Mom's EBT PIN). I should have realized from the beginning: this good deed will not go unpunished.
A minute later they're back with three or four other kids, apparently having spread the word that I'm giving out free water. I sigh and get them some. Two of them have money and start bombarding me with questions about what they can buy with their handfuls of pennies. One boy dumps his water all over a candy rack and the floor. Before they leave, I tell them, "Now, I did something nice for you guys. I do not want to go out there and see those cups all over the parking lot." They all nod. Right after they go outside, a customer comes in. One of the boys follows him and I ask what he needs.
KID: (pointing at customer) He said he'd get me something.
CUST: I ain't gettin' you nothin'.
Defeated, kid goes back outside. Another customer approaches the door, and I see the child and his buddy talking to him. I head outside to tell them to stop asking people for money, and there are ripped-up bits of coffee cup all over the sidewalk. I immediately shift into Mom Mode and tell them to pick it all up and throw it in the trash. Of course, none of them tore up THEIR cup. Those cups belong to someone else. Never mind that all of them are still standing there.
My job is a fairly effective form of birth control.
Now, these are some of the local kids who are notorious for swarming the store in large groups, making a mess of the fountain area and not having any concept of math or money (the brightest among them can almost count to potato, but they seem to have very little trouble remembering Mom's EBT PIN). I should have realized from the beginning: this good deed will not go unpunished.
A minute later they're back with three or four other kids, apparently having spread the word that I'm giving out free water. I sigh and get them some. Two of them have money and start bombarding me with questions about what they can buy with their handfuls of pennies. One boy dumps his water all over a candy rack and the floor. Before they leave, I tell them, "Now, I did something nice for you guys. I do not want to go out there and see those cups all over the parking lot." They all nod. Right after they go outside, a customer comes in. One of the boys follows him and I ask what he needs.
KID: (pointing at customer) He said he'd get me something.
CUST: I ain't gettin' you nothin'.
Defeated, kid goes back outside. Another customer approaches the door, and I see the child and his buddy talking to him. I head outside to tell them to stop asking people for money, and there are ripped-up bits of coffee cup all over the sidewalk. I immediately shift into Mom Mode and tell them to pick it all up and throw it in the trash. Of course, none of them tore up THEIR cup. Those cups belong to someone else. Never mind that all of them are still standing there.
My job is a fairly effective form of birth control.
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