This what what I heard last night at my local Walmart. I was there with my girlfriend, doing some Christmas shopping. I don't generally like to open carry in Walmart, but after walking around for an hour, my coat got too hot, so off it came. I got some looks, but no issues, until we got to the toy section. Some lady had a couple of kids with her. One of them, who looked to be about 4 or 5, was acting pretty horribly, just screaming, kicking his feet, and carrying on. I'd expect that from a toddler, or a kid still in diapers, but not a kindergartener. I just ignored it and kept walking. The lady was trying to hush the kid, without much success, then she saw me walking past, and told the kid, "See that man? If you don't shut up, I'm going to tell him to shoot you! Then you'll be quiet, won't you!"
That bothered me. It bothered me a lot, and I stopped and told her so. "Lady," I said to her, "if you can't handle your kid acting like a brat, that's your business, but don't use me like a damned boogeyman. I don't know you from Adam, and I don't need you using me to terrify your kid, for Christ's sake." My girlfriend thought it was funny, and that I may have overreacted, but I was really pissed.
I normally don't get mad when a stranger walks up to me and put their hands up and says, "Don't shoot!" I can tell they're joking. But this really got under my skin. What kind of person does that to their kids?
That bothered me. It bothered me a lot, and I stopped and told her so. "Lady," I said to her, "if you can't handle your kid acting like a brat, that's your business, but don't use me like a damned boogeyman. I don't know you from Adam, and I don't need you using me to terrify your kid, for Christ's sake." My girlfriend thought it was funny, and that I may have overreacted, but I was really pissed.
I normally don't get mad when a stranger walks up to me and put their hands up and says, "Don't shoot!" I can tell they're joking. But this really got under my skin. What kind of person does that to their kids?