As I was shopping at a small, general merchandise store in a strip mall, a woman, 25 to 27 years in age, came into the store with two little girls in tow. I'd guess their ages to be 4 and 5 years. The girls were little cuties. Dressed in pink skirts and tops, hair was combed, and both were clean and energetic. They began picking up items and throwing things around--more less bouncing off the walls.
Their mother was doing her best to guide them along. I heard her say, "Stop" and "Put that down" several times. She also explained to her children that she only needed a few items and they needed to stay by her side and to be good.
As it so happened as few minutes later, the mother-daughter trio were in the check-out line ahead of me. The girls were begging for the candy that was spread all around the shelves and the mother told them no, they were going to dinner soon and didn't need candy. The check-out line was moving slowly, but in a few minutes, both girls stopped fidgeting grew calm and quiet.
What happened next demonstrated that mothers really do have laser vision. This woman was also psychic.
"Give it to me," she demanded.
I looked at both girls and didn't see anything in their hands.
"No," the larger girl said.
"Oh, yes you will," said the mother. She grabbed the girl's hand and wrestled her fingers open to display one of those chocolate drops that costs 99 cents each.
"I am really disappointed in you," the mom said. "It is wrong to steal."
Next, her eyes moved to the hands of the second child and she repeated her demand, "You give it to me, too." Once again it was necessary for her to forcibly remove the chocolate drop from the girl's hand.
"Don't move," the mother said.
In my head I was telling myself, "Stay out of it. This isn't your business. But, suddenly the words to that Merle Haggard song popped into my head. Mama Tried.
"And I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole
No one could steer me right but Mama tried, Mama tried
Mama tried to raise me better, but her pleading I denied
That leaves only me to blame 'cause Mama tried."
I could not help myself. I said to the lady, "Ma'am, I just want to thank you for doing your best to raise your children with morals and values. We do not see this much anymore. Most people would just let their kids steal and ignore the consequences."
"Why, thank you," she said. "I do try, but they are a handful."
I encountered the trio again outside in the parking lot. I had to walk past their car to get to my car. I grinned to myself when I saw that the young mother had the two girls lined up in a row and she was talking to them like a coach to a losing team. I heard her say, “If these people wanted to call the police on you for stealing, they could.”
What happened next was my shocker for the day. Remember, these girls were 4 and 5 years old. “Police won’t bother us. We are too young. They don’t take little kids to jail,” replied the older girl.
“Wow!” I thought. “How bold?”
Once again, my head was telling me to stay quiet and move along, but I thought, “It takes a village.”
“Oh yes there is jail for kids,” I blurted out. “It is called Juvenile Detention Center and it a real place that deals with bad kids all the time.”
“Thank you,” replied the mother. I could tell she was glad for the support.
As I drove away, I kept thinking, Merle Haggard had it right, “Mama tried.”
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