Yesterday, I was driving home and I stopped at a red light at a very, very busy intersection in my town. The speed limits on the intersecting streets is 45, but it's not rare to see someone blowing down the road going 55-60. Here's a picture of the intersection:
That's an old picture - there's more stuff there now, including a CVS in the lower left corner and a Seattle's Best coffee shop. There aren't many cars in the picture; Brandon must've gotten much busier since the picture was taken. (For those of y'all who live 'round these parts, I'm talking about Highway 80 and Highway 18/Crossgates Boulevard.)
On each of the medians was 2-3 kids and 1 adult, each with a bucket in hand, begging for money for their baseball team. The kids were darting between cars at red lights and running back and forth across the street to get water, even on the green lights when cars were screaming through the intersection. Now, when I say "kids," I mean 13-year-olds (as evidenced by their signs advertising their baseball team and the ages they were), not small children, but still. I just don't think I'd be very happy with my kid standing on a super-busy intersection begging for money, no matter how old he is.
I'm a big sucker for fundraising kids. August and September are the big fundraising months, and sometimes we go without food so I can buy tchotchkes and coupon books from little entrepreneurs - far be it me to not give Brandon Elementary a new roof. I appreciate kids actually working for their money - performing a service - instead of begging for it. For goodness' sakes, wash a car, paint a fence, deliver groceries to old ladies, mow a lawn, give the chocolate-loving stay-at-home mom a fix... don't stand like a lump holding out a bucket.
And thus ends my rant. Drew's going to be gone till Friday. Woe is me.
5 comments:
amen
Wow. Parents and teachers allow, even encourage this?!
Sharon - I'm assuming the adults out there with them were parents, and I'm hoping that the other kids' parents knew about the whole thing. I wouldn't let Ace do it, period.
I'm with you on this one. Personally, I always want to get out and kick the crap out of the adults allowing little children to weave in and out of traffic. Of course, allowing kids to go out ALONE to sell stuff to strangers (as I've seen too often) is just as dangerous and stupid. But what really ticks me off is that some schools are doing fundraisers for basic stuff that really should be covered, like art supplies or the band. Okay, I'm ranting.
By the way, we really have to get you a big Drew-shaped doll for when he's out of town.
I hear ya! Man I have emptied my ashtray in those buckets. You feel so bad that you have to give something!
(note: I am a non-smoker which keeps pocket change in her ashtray)
That would have been just darn mean.. My kahunes aren't quite that big.
Post a Comment