another reason

Not that I needed it, but I have another reason to hate children and their daft parents.

I hiked Shaw Butte today and unlike yesterday I got through the whole affair unscathed. Then, for no logical reason I decided to go Ghetto Costco instead of the nicer one closer to my house. I needed gas and a dessert for Marky Mark’s pool party today and Valerie was specific about it being chocolate, I know that Costco has those delightful miniature brownies that make conspicuous consumption just that much more fun.

When I arrived at Costco an unattended child on wheelies attacked me. If you don’t know what wheelies are, please let me know where you live so I can move there, too. Wheelies are those obnoxious shoes with the hidden wheels in them that allow children to skate practically anywhere, anytime.

I have no idea what parent buys these for their child but if you are one of those parents I hope you know that you are among the most foul, inconsiderate people on the planet. Every place I have lived in America has skate parks and paved areas where children are welcome to come and exercise using whatever skating apparatus they already have. The ability to skate anytime, anywhere means that your children are skating in hospitals, church, Costco, IKEA, school and other heavily peopled areas where perhaps your unobservant child on wheels should not be happily zooming along without a care in the world. In children’s defense, they do everything they’re allowed and trained to do and really do not have the mental faculties required to judge a situations like where to skate.

After running into me the child ran into his own mother – on purpose – knocking her and an old lady into a display, causing said display to crash down on them, and by ‘them’ I mean the hapless old lady who left in an ambulance. I rarely feel bad for people but this absolutely sickened me. Then, super mom – the one raised the monster and gave him wheels – wanted to see the manager because the situation was ‘outrageous.’ I find it outrageous, obviously, but absurd beyond my wildest dreams that she missed that the whole debacle was her fault.

I, of course, as an observer of the world felt it my duty to watch everything whilst pretending to shop and someone else said, “its so hard for kids today, they have no place to be kids or play.” This person is also a part of the problem in the world today and worthy of scorn. I have no idea where that person lives but the problem today – especially with the laws governing schools – is that at no point are children encouraged to develop personal responsibility and have too many places to be kids. When I was a kid, which wasn’t long ago, we would have never thought or doing that in a store and when we did the store security would have stopped us. When our parents showed up our side would not have been taken over that of the store; we would have been made to apologize instead of being receiving an apology.

But, it’s okay sweetie, that old lady shouldn’t have gotten in your way.

Comments

[Margaret]

I hate those wheelies too, but they do have another name. My daughter tells me Heelies. They are obnoxious and dangerous to the wearer, plus all bystanders! I don't understand parents today; I would have been ripped apart by mine if I did such a thing in public. We had plenty of places to play, as do kids today. They just don't choose to! They sit on their butts in front of the TV or computer, and then ride those Heelies around in public to terrorize the rest of us! I am thankful to say that both my daughters are ultra polite, and (mostly) responsible; I'm trying to do my parental job--why can't other parents do the same?

[Yvonne]

I'm really surprised you didn't say something to the manager. That poor older woman.

[Alex V]

This reminds me of a W.C. Fields movie called "It's a Gift". A lady leaves her toddler unattended in a store and the kid turns the spigot on the barrel of molasses, covering the entire floor. then the mother blames the store owner for ruining her child's shoes. There's also a scene where a child leaves his roller-scates on a staircase with disastrous results. I hope this makes you feel better.