Scene in a convenience store

[NJCubScouter]

This does not directly relate to Scouting but does relate to children, or specifically a child, so I figured this would be the "board" for it. I guess it is just an illustration of how people need to "think" a little when dealing with children.

 

Last night I went into a convenience store on the way home from work, to get a cup of coffee. Behind the counter was a young woman probably about age 20 or a few years older. Sitting on the counter slightly off to the side was a little girl, I would guess about six or seven, though small for her age. Whatever relationship the clerk and the little girl may have had I do not know, if I had to guess it would be that the little girl belonged to another employee. The clerk was letting the little girl help "ring up" purchases by handing her each item, and the little girl would put the bar-code symbol under the scanner. Evidently she had done this before and was having fun doing it. It was all very cute.

 

Until, the person in front of me in line asked for a pack of cigarettes, and the clerk took it off the rack AND HANDED IT TO THE LITTLE GIRL to put under the scanner. Which she did and everybody went about their business.

 

This bothered me. Obviously the little girl was not smoking, but she should she really be participating at all in the sale of cigarettes? Presumably she knows what is in the pack. This does not seem to exactly send the message of "don't smoke" to this child... or for that matter to any other children who may have been in the store and saw this.

 

Legally, I think that if there had been a state inspector in the store making sure they ask for ID's for cigarettes, the inspector would have had to say something about this. When my 16-year-old daughter was looking for summer jobs this year, she was told in a number of places that they did not hire minors because the job would involve selling tobacco products. Ironically, if my daughter had applied in this same store, that is probably what she would have been told. And yet it is ok to have this little girl scanning packs of cigarettes?

[evmori]

NJ,

While I understand your troubles with this, I really don't see a problem. I'm not sure but I don't think there is a law that says you must be of legal age to sell something. You would know better than I.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[saltheart]

The laws regarding the actual handling of tobacco products vary from state to state, I would guess. Here in Massachusetts, at least in an establishment that stays to the letter of the law, and underage cashier must ask another employee of legal age (18+) to handle the actual tobacco sales transaction, no matter how many other items might be in the total sale.

 

It can be quite cumbersome, I suppose, for smokers. But the law is the law. And those who keep to it and those who smoke just have to deal with it. Of course, this is not to say that every establishment in the Commonwealth does things to the letter of the law. I'm sure there are situations similar to that in the OP occurring all around us, every day.

[dan]

Where I be from you must be 21 to sell alcohol and 18 to sell cigarettes.

 

While I do not like the fact that the little girl was scanning cigarettes, she probably did not break any rules, because she did not "sell" them. I have had cashier ring up the dollar amount for some liquid refreshment and she had me push the button to ring the sale up, because they where not old enough. This was in a grocery store.

[NJCubScouter]

I was not really seeing it as a legal issue, I just threw that in at the end of my post. It really bothered me more on a "gut" level. I don't think kids, not just in Scouts but any kids, should be exposed to smoking.

[Fat Old Guy]

NJDude, you need to get more involved in your life. Maybe this experience will help the little girl realize how stupid smoking is because she see people burning up hundreds of dollars.

 

In any case, it isn't my worry. I've made a concentrated effort to not worry about children that aren't in my charge. If you don't want to strap your kid into a car seat, I don't care if you don't care. If your kid doesn't wear a bike helmet, I don't care if you don't care. I used to care, get upset and even tell people that they needed to do this or that. I finally realized that they don't really care.

 

The sad thing is, that if something happens to the kid, everyone will say, "That poor mother, her baby was killed because he didn't have a helmet." They won't realize that the kid didn't have a helmet because mom didn't get him one. Before anyone yaps about the cost (oooo . . .$10, that's two six packs or three packs of cigs) the fire department gives good ones away for the asking.

 

 

[hops_scout]

"$10"

I dont know where you go shopping, but I cant recall ever seeing a helmet that would fit anybody but a toddler for less than 17. I have a helmet, but seldom wear it. Why? Because I dont like wearing and I know the area I ride very well. If I was going off road or on a Scout thing, then I would wear it.

[dan]

FOG

Why are you involved in scouting if you do not care about children that aren't in your charge?

This seems completly backwards than what I would expect a Scout Leader to say.

 

 

[evmori]

dan,

I don't mean to speak for Fat Old Guy but what I think he meant was kids who aren't in his care aren't his responsibility. And I would have to agree. We can't be responsible for all the kids in the world, only those we are responsible for.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Stan Riddle]

I would be much more troubled about why a small child would be sitting behind the counter of a "stop and rob" at night, than whether she actually touched a pack of cigarettes or not.

[Fat Old Guy]

Hopper, I know of more than a couple bike shops that sell inexpensive youth helmets at or below cost. Look at http://www.bhsi.org/helmetad.jpg

 

Let me say that you are incredibly foolish if you don't wear a helmet, no matter how well you know the road. Knowledge of the road isn't often a factor in accidents.

 

I'm not a big fan of helmet laws because I figure that if you are too stupid to wear one then you deserve what you get. The sad truth is that if you are injured, I wind up paying because after your insurance runs out and your parent's savings run out, the state pays and that impacts everyone.

 

I used to have the attitude that "I didn't need a helmet when I was kid" but that doesn't hold much water. The roads are different. Inattentive drivers are everywhere. Traffic is much heavier.

 

Do I wear a helmet? Yes I do. I have a Giro that normally retails for $150 but I got it on sale for $75.

 

I'm curious, what do your parents think about you not wearing a helmet? Have they ever had to visit someone in the hospital who had suffered a traumtic head injury? Have they had to live with someone who had suffered a traumatic head injury and will never be "normal" again?

 

 

 

 

[hops_scout]

"Inattentive drivers are everywhere." I dont think a helmet is going to help that well in that type of situation. My parents know I seldom wear my helmet, none of us do. I've flipped my bike before. Did it hurt? Well, yeah, but it hurt my hands and knees, not my head.

[Fat Old Guy]

"Why are you involved in scouting if you do not care about children that aren't in your charge?"

 

I only have so much energy to expend, why waste it on situations that are beyond my control?

 

There are free car seats available. There are free bike helmets avaiable.

 

I see so many people doing stupid things that I could write a book.

A parent who puts his infant in the passenger seat of his Z3 that has an airbag that can't be disabled. Why? He doesn't like driving the Honda Accord.

The goofy mom who belts both kids in the front passenger seat because both want to ride up front.

The cop who lets his kid lay on the tray by the back window of his car because "he likes it there."

and many, many more.

 

I think that they all are stupid. I think that they are all selfish. However, they are not my responsibility so I don't get involved and I don't worry about it.

 

 

[packsaddle]

Hey folks, don't let the grumpy guy fool you. He DID remember all those things and, I bet, a lot more. He's thinking about it.

 

NJ, I sympathize but I'm at a loss for what you could do. I also worry about them spending hours there in really smoky air. Life is really tough for some and it makes me try harder for the ones for whom I'm responsible.

[OldGreyEagle]

Hey Hops, I am going to go the way of FOG here, hope you dont mind.

 

Why do you wear a football helmet? You know you hit with your shoulders, you dont lead with your head? So why wear a helmet, shoulder pads and every thing else? When you were a catcher, did you always wear a mask and helmet? Chest protector? Shin guards ? and of course the most important protective equipment of all. You were a good catcher, why did you need all that stuff on?