Monday, September 28, 2009

Secrets of a Shoplifter


So at my job, my favorite thing above everything else is catching shoplifters. As horrible as that sounds there's something extremely therapeutic about it. I don't know what it is, maybe the adrenaline? Maybe teaching a young teen that they're not "all that." But every time after I catch one I feel like I can take on the world.

Accept for my last one.

I thought it was just another "routine" shoplifting incident. Another minor with a friend making a bad judgment call. But no, I learned something that day.

Everything seemed routine until the parents of the friends showed up. They were furious, a quarrel broke out. The parents were upset that the girl that was caught was blaming it on their daughter. (Which I know that the friend did asked her to shoplift the item for her) Ingenious? Manipulative? Yes. And I quickly found out why.

The parents! Yes the parents. They were pro's at manipulation, and taught their daughter the way. These well-to-do, upper class parents didn't care that their daughter convinced her friend to shoplift for her, they didn't care that their daughter was so cunning and able to manipulate her friend into doing her dirty work for her, they were just mad that "accusations" were being made, and wanted to make sure that there was no way their daughter would be legally involved.

Hate that. Hate watching manipulation spread from generation to generation. I hate that parents can teach their kids these things. Like how in this case, its okay to steal as long as someone else gets caught for it and you seem innocent.

Its learning stuff like this that makes me not feel the adrenaline and ability to take on the world that I usually do. I wish I could take on all ignorant, narcissistic parents out there.. but I can't. I'm not even a parent yet.

2 comments:

Julie said...

I think its sad how often negative traits can be traced back to parents. What bad things will I pass on? Oh dear.

Ed Garrity said...

amber, I enjoy your blogs. hope you do not mind me looking in now and then. seems the only way I can keep up with you and Nolan. if you will, tell me about your job and how school is going. both of you are psych majors? who are your favorite psych gurus? I am at nephite55@gmail or shelltracker55@yahoo. would love to hear from you