jmcquown wrote:

> Heh... when I was 19 years old I was working in a retail store. I had to
> wear nice clothes for the job. In this instance I had on a silk blouse a
> nice skirt and stockings. ..

> Her toddler started tossing ketchup-laden fries at me. I had to go back to
> work! And all she said to the little monster was "Quit!" Like a 2 year old
> was going to listen to "quit". I wanted to slap the hell out him. And her,
> too.

> That was not a pleasant lunch and we certainly didn't repeat it. I've no
> idea why people *procreate* when they won't control their kids at the dinner
> table. Or in public places. Or in front of guests.


You were only 19. If something like that were to happen now, you
wouldn't wait until you were covered with ketchup to choose not to
repeat the lunch. You'd get up before the french fry hit, ask the
waitress to seat you at a separate table, and finish your lunch from
there. If your co-worker said anything by way of apology or
explanation, you'd smile and say "oh, I understand, kids will be kids"
while offering no apology or explanation for your decision to move.
Also, no complaint and no advice, just a smile and the same line
repeated as necessary.


At least, that's the way I imagine the scene.


Think of these thoughtless parents like toddlers. As long as they can
get away with something, they will. Like the toddler who will lob
french fries as long as the french fries are in front of him, the
offending parent will take advantage of others as long as they're there
to be taken advantage of. A sensible parent would remove the french
fries from her toddler's reach and possibly restrain the kid's little
arms if necessary (gently, by holding them by his sides). Using the
same logic, the sensible co-worker removes the target (herself) from the
offending parent's reach. She gets another table or stands up and asks
for her lunch to go, anything to get herself out of there. (No, I
wouldn't have thought of that when I was 19, either.)


--Lia