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Yeah, I really DO mind!

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Contributed by: N. L. Valler on 9/2/2007

At least 15 times a day, I find myself echoing the words and warnings of my parents, in an effort to keep my children on the straight and narrow path to truth, justice and the American way. There's not a situation or circumstance for which a good old 20th Century euphemism doesn't apply, and having grown up in an Irish-Italian family of eight children, I've had the benefit of hearing them all.

Although this approach to discipline is apt to cause an episode of involuntary eye-rolling, I find it has worked well for me. So well in fact, I recently overheard my 15-year-old warn a friend: "if you lie down with dogs, you'll get fleas".

So, when my kids forget their manners, or have a momentary lapse in teenage judgment, it is more likely than not, at some point in corrective conversation I'll manage to squeeze in a carefully chosen saying or two.

Having been blessed (or cursed) with my father's tendency to soapbox, rest assured, my children are not the only beneficiaries of my vast repertoire of common sensical sayings. I am just as likely to bestow words of wit and wisdom on a disrespectful salesclerk, and the unruly children of strangers.

And now, that I've laid the perfect segue, I'll get to the point of my story.

It was a picture perfect summer day. One of those truly beautiful days when it's not too hot or humid, and the sweet smell of peonies and roses float on a soft August breeze,.

I couldn't have asked for a better day for tending the garden, which was exactly what I had planned after a making a quick stop at Wegman's for dinner paraphernalia.

I drove with the windows down enjoying the fresh morning air; no need for air-conditioning on such a fine day!

I quickly found an empty parking space, but had to wait a bit while the perfectly coiffed lady in the next spot loaded her groceries into the trunk of her platinum colored BMW convertible.

After a minute, she moved the cart enough for me to pull into the empty spot.

Two young girls in the back of the fancy car appeared to be having a grand time, laughing and giggling as they strung a game of cats cradle.

Before I could open my door the lady moved around to the passenger side of her car, and popped a couple of bags onto the empty front seat.

I waited patiently, listening to the chatty girls, as the woman dug through the plastic bags trying to locate something.

"Mom?" I heard one of the girls ask, "did you pay for that candy bar?"

Mom responded "No, by the time I got through the line, I couldn't find the wrapper."

"But isn't that stealing?" the other girl, questioned.

The lady's cheeks blushed red underneath her deep tan, "No, they don't mind...it's really not stealing"

In my side-view mirror, I watched the reactions of the little girls in the back seat of the expensive car. One wore a look of bewilderment, and the other, the daughter, something akin to embarrassment mixed with disappointment.

Resisting the temptation to break out the soapbox, which would certainly embarrass the child even further, I quietly opened my car door and headed for the market, feeling angry with the mom, and badly for the child.

On the surface, this incident may seem of little consequence, but this "inconsequential" indiscretion may someday come back to bite that delinquent parent, and society on the proverbial butt..

Mom has just taught her child (and someone else's) that it is:

OK to steal.
Stores don't mind" if you steal.
How to get away with stealing.
Parents don't mind if you steal, 'cause they do too.

NEWSFLASH:

Lady, I do mind!

I mind that you steal and contribute to local and national crime statistics.

I mind that you are part of the reason for never-ending price increases for consumables.

I mind that your child will enter school, and eventually society sharing your notion of honesty and entitlement, that may someday cost the rest of us dearly.

So lady, yeah, I really do mind!

To wit, I have but one euphemism for you, in the the word's of my father, and yours:
"THOU SHALT NOT STEAL" - The Eight Commandment

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