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From: andrew@grkermi.UUCP (Andrew W. Rogers)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: I hate to bring this up again but,....
Message-ID: <499@grkermi.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 3-Jul-85 17:27:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: grkermi.499
Posted: Wed Jul  3 17:27:55 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Jul-85 06:20:28 EDT
References: <220@cuuxa.UUCP>
Reply-To: andrew@grkermi.UUCP (Andrew W. Rogers)
Distribution: net
Organization: GenRad, Inc., Concord, Mass.
Lines: 44
Summary: 

In article <220@cuuxa.UUCP> frye@cuuxa.UUCP (frye) writes:
> I got off work one night last week and went to my favorite
> restaurant...  This couple came in with their grand-
> daughter ( about 6 or 7 years old ). She sat eating quietly
> with Gramma and Grampa. After a little while she got up and
> started running up and down the aisle between the tables and
> yelling at the top of her lungs. After about fifteen minutes
> of this I started to get a headache. I turned around and 
> said "Hey Goddammit, that's enough! That isn't what these
> places are for!"...

Hmmm... this sounds familiar.  Around '78 or so I was eating at Alice's (yes,
*that* Alice's - or more accurately, a descendant thereof) in Lenox, MA when
an obviously well-to-do couple (probably up from NYC to visit Tanglewood)
and their daughter (also around 6-7) were seated at the table next to mine.

Almost immediately, the daughter - an typical obnoxiously precocious affluent
urban brat - started showing off the results of her presumably ultra-expensive
toe-dancing lessons in the aisles.  I tolerated it for a few nanoseconds, then
politely suggested to her parents that they show some rudimentary courtesy
toward the other patrons and make her sit down... after all, there was already
entertainment in the lounge for those who wanted it.  Their response:

	"WE don't believe in REPRESSING her CREATIVITY!"

I shot back with "First of all, I don't believe in letting spoiled brats
repress my appetite; second of all, I suggest that you re-read _Summerhill_
until you understand the distinction between freedom and license!"  They
didn't say a word, but did repress her creativity long enough for me to
finish my meal in peace.


> Grandma took the offending screamer out to the car, but not before I
> mentioned the fact that if the kid got hurt they'd probably sue the
> restaurant.

Wish I had thought of that line!  I'll definitely keep it in mind!


Andrew W. Rogers

(P.S.: I certainly hope that forcing her to behave in a public place didn't
cause any long-term damage to her delicate psyche... oh, well, her parents
could probably afford the analyst's bills anyway... :-) )