obnoxious children

i've never been a big fan of children, but i saw one of the worst behaved children/most apathetic mom while i was at the post office. the postal lady went back to get apathetic mom a package. mom sets full-of-dirt obnoxious child on the counter. obnoxious kid tears the postal stickers off of all the pens and throws the bits of sticker and naked pens on the floor.... all the while, apathetic mom was saying, "you really shouldn't be doing that... oh really... no..."

conversation i wish i had had with the mother:
me: they put those flags on the pens for a reason. tell your kid to knock it off.
a.m.: have you ever tried to raise a kid? there's not that easy?
me: no. i was planning on waiting until i was mature enough to handle the responsibility.

conversation i ended up having with the postal worker (while standing way to the side of her register so that I didn't have to use the counter top where the dusty kid had been sitting):
her: i wish parents could control their kids.
me: that kid was really obnoxious
her: we put these flags on the pens for a reason.
me: you probably don't want them to be stolen.
her (in true civil-service fashion): i could care less about that. without the flags, they roll off and i have to bend down to pick them up....