A Microcosm of Society

[OrioleFan]

You are probably right, and the 50 cents was no big deal to me. It was just a funny thing that happens where there can be multiple lessons that apply to Government and the Welfare state that the Democrats have created.

[MineralMan]

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

OK, thanks. I guess I'm still not sure what you were getting at in your post, then.

[OrioleFan]

I was trying to draw a parallel between this event and the way Government handles money.

[MineralMan]

"I was trying to draw a parallel between this event and the way Government handles money.
"

OK, I see now. The difference I see here is that there was no sense of entitlement on the part of either the child or the person behind the counter.

You saw the situation, as an individual, then made a decision to deal with it in the way you did. That you did not get thanked or get your change is another matter, and may have some relationship with our welfare state.

Still, in my opinion, your situation isn't a good parallel, since you, an individual, simply made a decision to donate part of the cost of the pretzel. What happened next may well influence you the next time you are faced with a similar situation.

With the government and welfare, the system has a built-in entitlement layer that makes the recipient feel that they have the right to their pretzel, no matter what.

That's the difference I see here.

[OrioleFan]

Fair enough. I'll make the donation next time as well.

I guess the only problem I had with the whole situation was that the parent (whoever they were) would push this child into an adult world without the education required. I would never let my child go to a concession stand not knowing the value of money. In fact, by kindergarten both of my daughters knew how to make change better than some High School kids working at McDonalds (and I'm not putting down McDonalds, cause I worked at one many years ago).

[MineralMan]

"I guess the only problem I had with the whole situation was that the parent (whoever they were) would push this child into an adult world without the education required. I would never let my child go to a concession stand not knowing the value of money. " You have a point, there. I'd go further, though, and would not allow a child small enought not to be able to see over the counter go alone in any case. Not these days. Mom sent her with just $2, indicating that she didn't even know how much pretzels cost. That's a problem. Then...she didn't anticipate the situation that happened, where a stranger paid for part of the pretzel. I see a quick problem here. The girl had no doubt been told not to talk to strangers. Probably also not to accept food from strangers. A dilemma, instantly. She didn't have a learned response to the situation, so made no response at all. Again, I suggest that she was too young to have done this transaction in the first place. Mom should have accompanied her to the booth. What did happen, it seems to me, was that the little girl just didn't know what to do. A new situation which conflicted with what she learned about interactions with strangers. A little shyness and you have what happened. I can't fault the little girl here at all, and fault the mother for putting the kid in that situation in the first place As for the person behind the counter, I have no explanation, other than stupidity, probably.

[OrioleFan]

Yeah.

[FeliciaCat]

A couple of times I have been in grocery/drug store lines where the person in front of me didnt quite have enough money when it came time to pay, I gave them the difference (less then a $1.00) I hope someone does it for me someday, if I am ever in that situation.

Once I was in a long grocery line, only a couple of checkers were working and I get behind the coupon queen. Oh, but this woman was a piece of work! She had the wrong coupon for an item she wanted to buy but REFUSED to aknowledge that fact and kept insisting that the clerk take the coupon...finally I was totally pissed off at the wait and listening to this horrible woman. I interrupted her screeching at the clerk's by slamming .25 on the counter and saying "Here's your quarter, can we move ON now?" The woman was shocked, the clerk was shocked and the other people in line were laughing..sometimes people are just a trip.

[OrioleFan]

LOL! I used to share an apartment with a guy who would drive to 3 different grocery stores on the same shopping trip to save a couple of bucks. He burnt up the savings in gas (no SUV).