A Microcosm of Society

[OrioleFan]

This past weekend, I attended my daughter's track meet. I went to the concessions to get a soda.

A little girl, who could barely see over the counter, was in line in front of me trying to buy a jumbo pretzel. Her mother must have given her only $2, and the pretzel cost $2.50.

The girl behind the counter was trying to explain that she didn't have enough money. I listened to this and reached past the girl and put $1 on the counter and said, "Give her the pretzel."

The girl behind the counter gave the little girl her pretzel and 50 cents change. The little girl thanked the girl behind the counter and left with her treasure.

What happened, or was learned here?

• Someone made a Socialist decision that I really didn't need the 50 cents (i really didn't need it but that's not the point).
• The only reward for a good deed is self satisfaction.
• Young children are often put in situations where they shouldn't by parents who don't have the time to parent.
• It is more rewarding to be a giver of other peoples money than to actually give it.
• The girl behind the counter is going to grow up to be a Democrat.
• The mother probably thinks that jumbo pretzels are $1.50, took the pretzel, and gave the kid $1 to go get another one.

[OrioleFan]

The more I think about what happened; it really shows how much the Liberal educations our kids get are bearing fruit. Sad...

[OrioleFan]

Spell check >> "Microcosm".
Rats, and I reviewed it three times.

[JeeperFreeper]

Also, no good deed goes unpunished.

[Blue Highway]

When you say little girl do you mean 5 or 15? A 5 year old doesn't know better, but thats not the point, a 15 year old should.

[Blue Highway]

That situation reminds me of the episode of Seinfeld where George gives the pizza guy a tip for the calzones, but he doesn't see Georege putting it in the tip jar, and then George tries to take back the tip to "re-give" it to get acknowledgement for the tip, when the pizza guys sees George's hand in the jar he accuses him of stealing tips.

That's the society we live in unfortunately.

[Taliesan]

What happened

Somebody got your $.50 because you didn't speak up?

[stylin19a]

Just wondering why you didn't ask the kid for YOUR .50 ?
The kid is either going to grow up on welfare...or become a congressman.

[thoughtomator]

If the girl was too young to buy a pretzel, was she old enough to be unsupervised for the process?

[HarleyD]

Think of it as a tax on you (the wealthy) to redistribute your wealth to the poor (the little girl in need of the pretzel). The girl behind the counter represents the government who was more then happy not to take just what was needed for the little girl, but to give her more of your money then what was needed.

[Arkie2]

Hammer! Nail! Head!!

[NutmegDevil]

missing data, missing data - Did the little girl know you put up the dollar? And that it was used to pay for her pretzel? That would be relevant. The age of the little girl is so relevant -.

[MineralMan]

Well, it was nice of you to help pay for the girl's pretzel. From your description, she sounds pretty young, if she couldn't see over the counter.

I guess you're ticked that she didn't thank you for your contribution, and that she kept the 50 cents.

So, she's maybe 6 to 8 years old. I'll bet her parents told her not to speak to strangers. So she didn't. Perhaps she was young enough not to understand that the 50 cents rightfully belonged to you. Maybe she didn't even understand that you were paying for part of her pretzel.

Acts of kindness are just that...acts of kindness. I've done the same thing as you, in supermarket lines, and other places.

The difference? You have some sort of expectations that your generosity will be somehow rewarded or recognized by this young child.

Perhaps just making the gift should be reward enough, but who can say. Not enough information.

[Agnes Heep]

My kids weren't allowed to make any purchases until they had learned how to count money and make change. They learned quickly.

[Clioman]

Just curious...you didn't mention it. Did either the little girl (who otherwise would not have been given the pretzel) or the clerk (who otherwise would have not made a sale) bother to acknowledge YOUR generosity in making both things possible?

[beelzepug]

"I guess you're ticked..."

Ah, the MineralMan. Once again demonstrating a complete lack of understanding of the situation. Well, at least you're consisent.

[OrioleFan]

She couldn't see over the counter (probably 4ish)

[OrioleFan]

The girl knew I put up a dollar.

[OrioleFan]

Making the gift was reward enough for me. I thought the whole situation was amusing at the time.

[OrioleFan]

The clerk acknowledged the contribution.

[Just another Joe]

What happened, or was learned here?

Someone made a Socialist decision that I really didn't need the 50 cents (i really didn't need it but that's not the point).
The only reward for a good deed is self satisfaction.
Young children are often put in situations where they shouldn't by parents who don't have the time to parent.
It is more rewarding to be a giver of other peoples money than to actually give it.
The girl behind the counter is going to grow up to be a Democrat.
The mother probably thinks that jumbo pretzels are $1.50, took the pretzel, and gave the kid $1 to go get another one.

What REALLY happened here, IMO

No good deed goes unpunished. You lost 50 cents.
The girl behind the counter is going to grow up thinking that grownups are SOOOOOO stupid.
It's easier to take someone else's money than argue with a very young person.
Looks like the mother good give a hoot less. She made 50 cents.