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cinema_babeHave you ever had something that made your blood boil and run cold at the same time? This past weekend, I did.
I went to a Panera Bread to pick a salad (Panera is one of those places that has overpriced breads, coffees pastries, soups, etc. Sort of like a McDonald's version of a high end coffee shop)
Anyway, as I'm going in the door there's a young girl, about 10 or 11 standing outside the door holding a cardboard box with various candies. She was asking people if they wanted to purchase some overpriced candy to support some youth program. I declined and went inside to get my salad. While I was in the restaurant, I heard someone complain to the girl at the counter about the little girl in front of the store. As I was leaving I was accosted by an older woman who asked me if I had a phone. It seem that the store manager had told the little girl that she had to leave and she had to call someone to pick her up.
It is 7:40pm on a Saturday night in December. It is dark, it is cold and someone has left a young girl in a busy parking lot to hawk candy. Alone. With no cell phone. This is pissing me off to no end.
Some background. My family was Jehovah's Witnesses and I was forced to spend more hours then I care to remember knocking on stranger's doors in the cold hawking magazines. I am sure seeing this child in the cold and dark selling candy brought up a lot of stuff from my childhood.
So this woman stopped me on te way out and asked if I had a phone because the manager had told the little girl she had to leave and she had to call someone to come and get her. The child help out her hand for my phone but I asked her for the number because I wanted to hear what kind of person would leave a little girl alone outside in the cold and dark. She gave me the number and told me the person who left her there was a "Miss Jones". I got the woman on the phone, (it took her several rings to pick up) and she had a bit on an attitude. I told her that the child was asked to move by the manager and needed to be picked up. She told me she was on her way.
I decided that I wasn't comfortable leaving this child alone so I decided to wait with her. I asked her if she knew where Miss Jones had gone. She wasn't sure. I asked her what organization she was selling candy for and she said it was the Girls and Boys club of South Orange. We waited and waited. 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes.... no Miss Jones.
After 20 minutes the girl said, "There she is."
I walked with the child over to Miss Jones and proceeded to play "Ms Busy Body Know-It-All" I asked her why she would leave a child out there alone and she said, "I had to go to the bathroom, what was I supposed to do?"
I suggested she take the child with her next time. I al so reminded her that the majority of k8ids who go missing are Black children, not photogenic white college students. She tried to tell me that this little girl was taught not to go with anyone but I asked her what would happen if she was dragged into a car or she got injured or a policeman stopped by.
I mollified my bitching by saying to her, "I know that you are as concerned about children as I am or you wouldn't be working with an organization like this. Oh, by the way, what was the name of your organization?"
Miss Jones, "Teen Guidance"
Me, Oh and where are they located?"
Miss Jones, "Irvington"
Me, "Hmmm, that's funny, I thought you were with the Boys and Girl's Club of South Orange."
We spoke for a few more moments and I watched the two of them walk away, get in her car and drive away. I drafted a letter to send to these two organizations but I didn't send it because I have my doubts that she's affiliated with either one.
I don't even know how to end this; I'm still haunted by this incident. Will this child be out somewhere else next weekend selling candy in the cold and the dark again?
I'm mad at myself for getting involved, I wish I'd have just said "no phone" and left. I'd wished I'd called Miss Jone and left. I hate feeling compelled to do the right thing, I'm like fucking Don(a) Quixote sometimes. Or Holden Caufield.
One day I might get my lights punched out for doing the right thing.
I went to a Panera Bread to pick a salad (Panera is one of those places that has overpriced breads, coffees pastries, soups, etc. Sort of like a McDonald's version of a high end coffee shop)
Anyway, as I'm going in the door there's a young girl, about 10 or 11 standing outside the door holding a cardboard box with various candies. She was asking people if they wanted to purchase some overpriced candy to support some youth program. I declined and went inside to get my salad. While I was in the restaurant, I heard someone complain to the girl at the counter about the little girl in front of the store. As I was leaving I was accosted by an older woman who asked me if I had a phone. It seem that the store manager had told the little girl that she had to leave and she had to call someone to pick her up.
It is 7:40pm on a Saturday night in December. It is dark, it is cold and someone has left a young girl in a busy parking lot to hawk candy. Alone. With no cell phone. This is pissing me off to no end.
Some background. My family was Jehovah's Witnesses and I was forced to spend more hours then I care to remember knocking on stranger's doors in the cold hawking magazines. I am sure seeing this child in the cold and dark selling candy brought up a lot of stuff from my childhood.
So this woman stopped me on te way out and asked if I had a phone because the manager had told the little girl she had to leave and she had to call someone to come and get her. The child help out her hand for my phone but I asked her for the number because I wanted to hear what kind of person would leave a little girl alone outside in the cold and dark. She gave me the number and told me the person who left her there was a "Miss Jones". I got the woman on the phone, (it took her several rings to pick up) and she had a bit on an attitude. I told her that the child was asked to move by the manager and needed to be picked up. She told me she was on her way.
I decided that I wasn't comfortable leaving this child alone so I decided to wait with her. I asked her if she knew where Miss Jones had gone. She wasn't sure. I asked her what organization she was selling candy for and she said it was the Girls and Boys club of South Orange. We waited and waited. 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes.... no Miss Jones.
After 20 minutes the girl said, "There she is."
I walked with the child over to Miss Jones and proceeded to play "Ms Busy Body Know-It-All" I asked her why she would leave a child out there alone and she said, "I had to go to the bathroom, what was I supposed to do?"
I suggested she take the child with her next time. I al so reminded her that the majority of k8ids who go missing are Black children, not photogenic white college students. She tried to tell me that this little girl was taught not to go with anyone but I asked her what would happen if she was dragged into a car or she got injured or a policeman stopped by.
I mollified my bitching by saying to her, "I know that you are as concerned about children as I am or you wouldn't be working with an organization like this. Oh, by the way, what was the name of your organization?"
Miss Jones, "Teen Guidance"
Me, Oh and where are they located?"
Miss Jones, "Irvington"
Me, "Hmmm, that's funny, I thought you were with the Boys and Girl's Club of South Orange."
We spoke for a few more moments and I watched the two of them walk away, get in her car and drive away. I drafted a letter to send to these two organizations but I didn't send it because I have my doubts that she's affiliated with either one.
I don't even know how to end this; I'm still haunted by this incident. Will this child be out somewhere else next weekend selling candy in the cold and the dark again?
I'm mad at myself for getting involved, I wish I'd have just said "no phone" and left. I'd wished I'd called Miss Jone and left. I hate feeling compelled to do the right thing, I'm like fucking Don(a) Quixote sometimes. Or Holden Caufield.
One day I might get my lights punched out for doing the right thing.
