I had an experience this week that caused me to wonder where common courtesy and respect have gone. I was riding my bike with my 4-year-old daughter to Target. As we came up the path from John Barovetto Park that leads to Target, there was a group of teenagers blocking the entire way. I thought they would move as I approached, but they all just stayed in place and stared at me.

I stopped and asked if they could please move, but they stood their ground and said, “No, we’re not moving.” Shocked, I asked them if they really chose to talk to me that way, and they responded by mimicking me and asking me if I was choosing to talk to them that way. I was appalled at how they were treating a grown woman with a child and decided to just start riding through, hoping they’d move. As I did so, they barely moved and continued to make snide comments to me as I passed.

I really feel embarrassed for the parents of these youths and would hope that this comment would cause those with children to stop and talk with them about how to treat others.

On a side note, this was on a Wednesday morning, which is a day that the older school-age kids have a late start at school. Instead of allowing them to wander around Target and cause problems for passers-by, why do we not have them spending time doing service around the community such as helping in elementary classrooms, picking up garbage at parks, working at the library or other community services? Perhaps if we would give them the opportunity to serve, they would learn how to act appropriately.

Kathryn Dixon

Davis

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