I don't know why, but today we had more screaming tots in the store than we've had for quite some time.
I really felt sorry for Tonia, one of the Russian students that works for us. She had the cash register closest to the frozen foods department (which I've nicknamed Siberia), and somehow got stuck with more squalling kids than any of the rest of us. There was one little girl who was throwing a horrible tantrum. Her voice would start with a long wail, then suddenly double in volume and simultaneously go up an octave. The brat's parents just stood there, ignoring her. Tonia somehow managed to conduct the sale as if this were all normal. Remind me to bring this up to management.
The kids who weren't raising a vocal ruckus were instead acting out in other ways. One lad insisted on playing with the back-end conveyor belt at my register, turning it on and off, and sticking his hand on the belt while it was running, not a safe thing to do. I had to tell him that it was not a toy, and not to be played with. Fortunately, his mother didn't take exception to my talking to the boy (yes, I've had parents bluster that I have no right to speak to their children under any circumstances, while they themselves don't watch out for their child's safety).
This could be a very long weekend.
