I used to hate those kids that stood outside of stores and sold candy but now my brother is one of those kids.
Today after church I stayed with him outside of Target so he could sell his candy. He has had the candy since Monday but today is actually the first day for him selling it…I have always wanted to tell these candy kids to buzz off but not anymore because I felt so sorry for my brother.
He was being so nice to everybody and most people would act like he wasn’t even there. He addressed everybody as Sir or Ma’am and he was looking nice in his church clothes but people were so rude to him. There were atleast 3 or 4 people that actually said something rude to him and one man even implied that my brother was intimidating people…I don’t understand how any one could be intimidated by a short and skinny kid in a suit.
Anyway if you see a green eyed, Mulatto kid with a huge curly brown afro then for Goodness sakes atleast say "No thanks"instead of telling him that he should mow lawns for extra cash.
Anyway despite all the harsh rejection he managed to sell a box of 20 Candy Bars at 2 dollars a bar…I don’t know how much $$$ he gets but I am told that most of the per centage will go to various charities such as a local food bank in my area.
I am never mean. Because I used to be one of those kids (Camp Fire Girl) selling stuff. Of course, back then I wore a uniform and was with some other girls and a Camp Fire Girl leader, so it looked more “official.”
Though I must say, I think that all kids should sell candy in the manner that God intended—pawning the candy off to their parents, so their parents can sell it to coworkers. (Actually, my dad did that and was the hit of the Post Office where he worked. Apparently postal workers love Camp Fire Girl candy!)
I can’t tell you how many things I’ve bought from coworkers, for their kids. Frankly, I’m far more apt to do that than to buy the stuff from a kid outside of a store. Perhaps that’s just me.
He gets a cut of his proceeds? I think that’s sort of under-handed. I assume most kids hawking candy have all the profits going to whatever organiztion they represent. Like Girl Scout cookies. Those Girl Scouts don’t get paid to sell cookies. A certain amount per box sold goes to the troop, the local council, etc.
I am one of those ignorers. I hate being accosted outside a store to buy or donate when all I wanted to do was pick up toothpaste. I shouldn’t have to be made to feel guilty (implicitly, because of the big green eyes and the suit, the bell ringing, etc.) because I don’t give to charities that I havaen’t researched. How do I know the kid collecting for church camp is even a church goer? Let me see the 501-C-3 status of the organization, and their financial statements. Let me see what percentage of the money made actually goes for the worthwhile cause.
I’m not rude to these beggers, but I’m not cordial, either. No more than I am to telemarketers.
You don’t need permission…all Candy kids, petition gatherers, charity workers have a designated space where they can sell or do whatever as long as they stay out of the customers way…the management may not like it but my dad said legally they can do nothin’.
I always assumed that half the point was to teach the kids the value of money. It also semi-formalises your relationship with him. You don’t have to feel guilty now.
We actually don’t have kids doing stuff like this in he UK. I presume it’s because of fear for the children. Or maybe we do have it, with someone watching out for the kids or something, but I have seen nothing since I did bob-a-job week as a cub scout, and I don’t think they do that any more either. If you feel guilty for walking past the kid, it’s entirely possible to be nice to the kid while not actually giving to the charidee. Smile and say they’re doing a good job, maybe. Then if they start pressing for the cash you can legimately walk off 'cos they’ve ceased to be cute.
The version of this that is most prevalent in the UK is bunches of attractive young people in charity smocks, swarming city centre streets to see if folk have “a minute to stop”. Some people I’ve known have been quite distressed to hear that these people get paid. Not me. In my opinion it formalises our relationship and makes me feel a lot better about walking past. And anyway, you see the same people in different smocks for different charities. It seems a legitimate (if annoying) marketing tactic. Why shouldn’t charities have staff?
I occasionally run into candy-selling kids, but they seem to be a particular type and/or group…they’re fairly aggressive (they follow you to your car, or stand waiting for you to open your door when you arrive), and they have a fast, well-rehearsed speech about how my buying candy will keep them from becoming inner-city thugs or something. I don’t buy anything from them–something about being half-chased across a parking lot ruins my appetite for chocolate.
My guess is that some folks assumed your brother was one of those kids, instead of a nice church-going youth who calls people ma’m or sir. And of course, some people are just…rude, unfortunately.
Maybe he’ll have better luck with family members.
Where is this? I don’t think this is true in all jurisdictions. After all, you might get in some trouble if you tried to sell candy bars outside of, say, a Weight Watchers location.
Well, to be fair, it’s possible some jurisdictions don’t allow businesses that latitude. I can’t think of any, but it’s important to remember that not all laws/regulations are the same everywhere.
(Actually, my dad did that and was the hit of the Post Office where he worked. Apparently postal workers love Camp Fire Girl candy!)