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I Think I Ruined a Sting Today.
14 years ago
General
I was walking home from town after taking care of some chores today, when a guy approached me specifically out of the crowd of people, handed me five dollars, and asked if I could buy him a beer from a certain establishment. He looked fairly clean, well kept, and clearly of age... So I had to ask "why don't you buy it yourself?"
He danced around the question, mentioning that he got in an argument with the owner before rambling about how girls love a bad boy and how he allegedly gets all sorts of tail for being falling down drunk, even going so far as to oogle a passing probably-freshman to make his point. By this point, something seemed clearly amiss to me... Or in the very least, he seemed like a creep/asshole. I probably should have just said I wasn't feeling comfortable about this whole situation...
But instead I took the money, walked into the shop, and bluntly told the clerk the situation. He walked outside, identified the man (who was the only person seemingly waiting outside), and essentially told me "well, I don't know why he wouldn't be allowed in here... But if he says he's not, I guess he's not. Sorry, I can't sell it to ya." I nodded and walked back out and gave the guy his money back and told him that cashier wouldn't sell to me.
The guy seemed calm, if slightly disappointed, but interested in why they wouldn't sell to me. I just told him the guy at the register walked out and saw him and said he could sell to me (all true, mind you), then I walked away.
Cut to five minutes later, walking down the road on my way back to campus... I suddenly recall the stings my boss told me about in the summer, where cops disguise as civilians and ask someone of questionable age to buy something for them for whatever made-up reason to see if they card or not. Suddenly, it made more sense why he picked me, a male of dubious legal age, out of everyone around town. It made sense why he wanted it from that specific place. It made sense why he seemed clean, had a shaky story that the actual clerk at the store didn't confirm, and was so interested in why they didn't sell to me... I could be wrong, of course. But if I'm not... Whoops. :P
It struck me as this interesting, twisted web of deceit the more I thought about it.
Anyway, just wanted to share but a shred of the strangeness today held for me.
Also, at risk of jinxing it again, I'm feeling much better since my last journal. Thanks again to those of you who have been so understanding and/or supportive of my prior situation. Now I just need to rekindle my drive to do stuff, and I'll be golden. :P
He danced around the question, mentioning that he got in an argument with the owner before rambling about how girls love a bad boy and how he allegedly gets all sorts of tail for being falling down drunk, even going so far as to oogle a passing probably-freshman to make his point. By this point, something seemed clearly amiss to me... Or in the very least, he seemed like a creep/asshole. I probably should have just said I wasn't feeling comfortable about this whole situation...
But instead I took the money, walked into the shop, and bluntly told the clerk the situation. He walked outside, identified the man (who was the only person seemingly waiting outside), and essentially told me "well, I don't know why he wouldn't be allowed in here... But if he says he's not, I guess he's not. Sorry, I can't sell it to ya." I nodded and walked back out and gave the guy his money back and told him that cashier wouldn't sell to me.
The guy seemed calm, if slightly disappointed, but interested in why they wouldn't sell to me. I just told him the guy at the register walked out and saw him and said he could sell to me (all true, mind you), then I walked away.
Cut to five minutes later, walking down the road on my way back to campus... I suddenly recall the stings my boss told me about in the summer, where cops disguise as civilians and ask someone of questionable age to buy something for them for whatever made-up reason to see if they card or not. Suddenly, it made more sense why he picked me, a male of dubious legal age, out of everyone around town. It made sense why he wanted it from that specific place. It made sense why he seemed clean, had a shaky story that the actual clerk at the store didn't confirm, and was so interested in why they didn't sell to me... I could be wrong, of course. But if I'm not... Whoops. :P
It struck me as this interesting, twisted web of deceit the more I thought about it.
Anyway, just wanted to share but a shred of the strangeness today held for me.
Also, at risk of jinxing it again, I'm feeling much better since my last journal. Thanks again to those of you who have been so understanding and/or supportive of my prior situation. Now I just need to rekindle my drive to do stuff, and I'll be golden. :P
But considering that there are probably a dozen other places to buy beer within a five minute walk of there, the fact that it had to be this establishment, does suggest it was a possible sting. Don't worry about it. If they're proceeding with some type of sting operation, they should be better at it.
But look on the bright side. You may have actually done a better service. The owner of the establishment will now be aware that he may be being watched, and so will not illegally sell to minors. The owner stays in business and his employees keep their jobs, and possible illegal activity is halted. It's a win-win situation. :)