What in the hell is wrong with kids today???

Ok, I'm at lunch. I decide to go to the KFC drive thru and grab something. I'm pulled up to the little speaker thing that blares out indecipherable gibberish. I am in the middle of placing my order and there's these 2 kids (rough guess about 9-10 years old) standing outside the door close to where I'm sitting. I'm being distracted because one of them is now standing BEHIND my running vehicle pretending to be holding a steering wheel. Now, I'm watching him in my mirror, trying to not sound like a complete and total idiot because I can't get a straight sentence out, being worried about this little monster behind me. So I do what any mother would do when faced with someone else's child in danger...

I put the truck in reverse, lean my head out the window and tell him, "You need to get out from behind my truck, NOW!" (In that "mom" voice, no less). He starts moving up the walk away from my truck, muttering something that sounds very profane just low enough that I can't quite make out. Oh HELL no you will not mouth off at me! They're both looking back at me like "come on, do something" as they head inside. Boy, don't tempt me! I'm having one of those foul weeks where I tend to get aggravated a bit faster. I WILL get out of this truck.

So I pull around to the window to pay. The little girl at the window takes my money and is just giggling at me. I apologize, telling her I just didn't like him standing behind the truck. She assures me it's ok, thinks other people should speak up to them because they hang around there quite frequently, thinks it's hilarious! So then I don't feel so bad.

Had I done something like that, if my parents didn't beat my ass, they'd be upset at whoever I was doing that to if THEY didn't. Times have changed, everyone sues, you're "beating" a child if you spank them. Although, to be truthful, I probably would have beat them. :) Is it me? Am I finally gettting *gasp* old? Kids these days are so rude, disrespectful and just plain mean. I'm sure my kids do it (occasionally only because of course, they're close to perfect) and if I saw it, they'd KNOW mom means business. Or maybe I just don't have the patience to deal with other people's children who are not related to me. Its such a different world.

So I pull out, head around the building to exit, watching for them to jump in front of my truck. That's ok, it has 4 wheel drive! ;)