Yes, those kids from the Christian Youth Group are a MAJOR threat

[Nox]

This was so funny, I can't believe I forgot about it!

About three weeks ago, I was standing at the door handing out catalogues when some old bag wanders over to me, glowering. The following exchange when something like this (words to this affect, I can't remember exactly)

GOB= Grumpy Old Bag
ME = Innocent Sales girl
PITG= Poor innocent Teenage Girl

GOB: That girl is a theif! (She points to PITG, who is in punky clothing, listening to an iPod and looking at a display)
ME: You saw her take something?
GOB: No!
ME:...Did she tell someone she was going to steal something?
GOB: (Annoyed at my stupidity) No!!
ME: (...Uh, what?) Um, so why do you say she's a theif, Miss?
GOB: Just LOOK at her! Rubbish clothing, blue hair! All girls that age are theives! Especially ones who look like that!
ME: (Okay, PITG is about my age) Miss, I can't accuse someone of stealing because of how they dress. We can keep an eye on her if you like?
GOB: You'd better! And tell her to turn that awful rock music down! I can hear it from here, and she's singing along! (GOB starts muttering about how PITG is singing about Satan.)
Me: I'll go talk to her. (I move away from GOB as fast as I can. As I'm approaching PITG I can hear her sing too)
PITG: I wanna let the whole world know that JESUS lives in me!

I talked to PITG for a few minutes. Turns out she's a "Rockstar for God" who is at the Mall with her Youth Group. I explain the situation to her, and we spend many minutes laughing at GOB. And yes, I checked her bag as she left anyway. It's store policy anyway.

[queenbb]

oh man it makes me so mad when people just assume somthing like that.

things i have observed over the years,
people who dress like punks are normally the nicest people you will ever meet, they are kind and considerate. however the jocks and cheeleaders of the world those are the ones you will have problems with. (not all of course but alot of them, they tend to be mean and bully types)

i have also had alot of problems with chirstians (no offence to christians out there) but it seems that they have some sort of theroy that because they are christian they are untouchable when it comes to things like that, they will think that all will be forgiven)

now i know that not all of them are like this, and i am not the only one who has made this observation, people who talk to me at resturants (since we have a pagan group they will be leary of us at first because of the stigma that goes along with being pagan or a witch) after they get to know us they start to complain about other types of groups that come in, chirstian mostly, jocks and cheerleaders) i have no idea why they feel they can talk to us but they do. they usually end up hanging out with us on brakes and then come to visit with us when they know we will be there and they are off the clock.

[powerboy]

I hate to be stereotyped by people like that. They think just because I am young, that I am a thief, or I am this or I am that.

[bean]

things i have observed over the years,
people who dress like punks are normally the nicest people you will ever meet, they are kind and considerate. however the jocks and cheeleaders of the world those are the ones you will have problems with. (not all of course but alot of them, they tend to be mean and bully types)

The majority of my friends fall into the following catagories..

Punks - by and large some of the nicest people I've ever met (most of my friends at least somewhat fall into this category)... unless you piss them off. Right down to the mohawks, piercings, tattoos, clothing, etc. I used to somewhat fall into that category - I have a little bit of ink on my body and some really big holes in my ears, my hair is well past my shoulders (but shaved on the sides, so I could still put it up in a nearly 2 foot tall mohawk if I had the time), but I'm generally laid back even though I mostly listen to punk/metal/industrial (really I look more like a stereotypical stoner than anything else, now anyway). I did tend to avoid people that liked vandalism though - I know it's a stereotype that punks are supposed to be into, most that I know/have known weren't into that. I suspect the customer mentioned in the original post looked like a "punk". I've also had blue, pink, red, etc hair at some point. Really, I'd say about 90% of "punks" I've met have been awesome people.

Bikers - generally nice folks that REALLY love to talk about their rides. Next time you see a custom cruising bike at a gas station, tell the owner "nice bike" and ask about it, next thing you know it's been 2 hours. The crotch rocket crowd tends to be high strung though. (I have friends who ride both cruisers and rockets)

Druggies - the stoners are generally nice, I try to avoid anybody into hard drugs now. I used to be pretty heavily into the hard crap, I'm content drinking a few beers and smoking a bowl occasionally these days.

I know a few "jocks and cheerleaders" - every time I talk to any of them my brain hurts and all I can think about for the next day is "the stupid is strong in that one".

The stereotypical "Christian" than queenbb mentions annoys the living fuck out of me as well. I live in the bible belt too...

[ArenaBoy]

I could be considered a jock when I was in high school (I ran cross-country and track), I never got along with the football players but I hung out with the punks and the weirdos. I was friends with a few stoners but they did some things that I didn't want to be a part of (Besides drugs) and I got away from that. The outcasts and the weirdos tend to be the more nicer part of society anyway.

[JustADude]

I could be considered a jock when I was in high school (I ran cross-country and track), I never got along with the football players but I hung out with the punks and the weirdos.

Nah, you were athletic, but you weren't a Capital-J Jock.

[GingerBiscuit]

I love that. I especially love when one of my friends comes in, and someone says 'keep an eye on that girl/boy, look at the way they're dressed, they'll be STEALING'
I do enjoy getting to say
'They wouldn't steal from here, they're my friend and they don't steal' or something similar, as the customer looks at me, see's the bright red hair, bat hairclip and makes a connection...

(my manager doesn't care what colour my hair is as long as it could possibly pass for a more vivd shade of a natural colour and is kept tied back.)

[Lace Neil Singer]

Haha, I've gotten that kind of thing practically all my life; and it just makes me laugh now. I generally get labeled a "goth", tho I've also been called "mosher", "punk" and "freak". I'm not a punk, but I do have unusually coloured hair and upper ear piercings. I'm not a goth, but I do wear gothic style clothes sometimes and black eyeliner. As for mosher, well, I do do that in the place where moshing is welcomed; ie, the mosh pit. Not even going to touch on "freak". XD But it's true, the people round where I live that cause most of the trouble are not the ones labeled as punks, goths, bikers or stoners; it's the chavs and trendies. There are whole pubs that are deemed out of bounds to most people cuz they are "chav pubs".

[Bloodsoul]

Now I just keep thinking of, "Gooble, gobble, gooble, gobble! One of us! One of us!" >.<

I live in a fairly quiet and laid back town that still has it's variety of youngsters; I think my only personal problem was going out to collect carts at store closing and having an old man practically hide behind one out of fear.. must've been my trenchcoat.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

In my experience, punks are usually super polite, smart, and "clean cut", though they may not look it.

I used to work with a straight edge punk at Kinko's. He was so sweet and upstanding I usually avoided swearing or losing my temper around him. This is a guy with a streaked mohawk, helix piercings, and tusks coming out of his nose.

Interestingly, the most polite customers I had in Kinkos were the drag queens, the nudists, the strip club people (with one notable exception) and the "gypsies." Basically, the people who generally get the bad rap immediately upon sight. The worst were the fine upstanding people, in particular the "church people", the politicians, and the lawyers. I see a guy in an expensive suit walk in, I immediately cringed. Entourage of guys with glossies of them dressed as women, easy day ahead. Money bet.

[Demonoid Phenomenon]

Now I just keep thinking of, "Gooble, gobble, gooble, gobble! One of us! One of us!" >.<

Bloodsoul, you've just quoted my favorite movie ever.
I thank you for raising FREAKS awareness!

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

Isn't the senior group one that might be apt to steal? Maybe not, but you could inform her of that.

[Becks]

I'm not a goth, but I do wear gothic style clothes sometimes and black eyeliner.

And occasionally wearing gothic clothes and black eyeliner is a problem...why?

Maybe I should wear that stuff out in public and not in the privacy of my own home...

[queenbb]

oh yah i forgot about the bikers,

i know alot of bikers, as my parents are bikers. they would get alot of crap when their group would go out to eat like they were gonna bust up the place,

ok now you have to understand that my parents were a part of the GWRRA, which is composed mostly of seniors, (my sister and i call them the blue hair biker babes) my parents were the youngest in the group and they were in their mid 40's. they actually got kicked out of a drive in (ok they did brake out the habachi and started a bbq) but most of the time they are well behaved.

and yes bikers also get a bad wrap, and most of the time they are kind considerate and very helpful to people (and other motorists) in need

another related story about their group, there was this girl broken down (probably about 18-19) with a flat tire, so they pull over to help. the girl freaked out she thought she was going to be gang raped or beat to a pulp. the women had to go and calm her down so my dad could change her tire.

[Gawdzillers]

There's some thing on the news tonight about bikers who patrol the streets protecting child abuse victims.
"Steel Horse Heroes"
I don't know if it's just local or nationwide.