Source: Common MFing Sense
Not much shocks me anymore. I’ve been around enough crazy places and done my share of questionable things during the twenty six years I’ve had on this Earth that catching me with my jaw dropped and eyes wide, is next to impossible. Well, today I got blindsided.
On the hunt, to exchange my current craptacular secondary job with a less feces riddled one; I ventured into my local EB Games (Gamestop) to see about applying for the store manager position.
While waiting for the store clerk, who showed all the tragic signs of being a poetry major (i.e. no actual video game knowledge) to get me the appropriate forms to fill out, two middle aged parents entered the store. They immediately rushed to the counter to demand blood! Well maybe not blood, but they were obviously pissed off about something.
Find out what 2008’s dumbest parents of the year were pissed off about after the jump!
Turns out, they had just purchased Gears Of War for their fifteen year old son the week before. They began to scream about how violent it was and how video games are sick and blah blah blah.
First off, your just getting your son GoW now? Someone give these two the delayed parental love award. Second, it’s called Gears of WAR, what the hell did they expect? Fluffy bunnies throwing easter eggs at each other? Anyway, through all of the shrill screaming, it was revealed that this fifteen year old’s mom actually came into the store to buy it with him. I smell a parent of the year award coming….
So, the title was apparently confusing to them, ok, that makes no sense, but what about the rating on the freaking front cover?! How can you even be a parent today and not even attempt to check out what your kids are spending their time on IN DETAIL? Especially when you are the one paying for it and right beside them when it happens?!
What was their response to that very question? We don’t understand it. Seriously, they did not understand it. The big freaking M17+ on the front of the box must have thrown them. Their eyesight must also be terrible because the HUGE freaking chart on the store wall that lists all the ESRB ratings also failed to inform them of the fact Lil’Timmy was going to be playing a violent game.
What the hell? Are people really that dumb? That was rhetorical. Stop answering. Now.
We have had video game ratings on the front of our box’s for years now, almost the entire time Lil’Timmy has been alive! Your telling me that things as self-explanatory as T for Teen and E for Everyone are too complex for the average parent? I’ve heard of this phenomenon, but had never seen it with my own eyes. I guess I was lucky to have a mother with more than a grade 8 education. Speaking of which, love ya Mom, I know you’re reading this.
Needless to say Mr.Poetry Major EB clerk was so stunned that he almost did not know what to say. He offered to exchange the game for an equally priced title, but the father would have none of that. A heartfelt apology and offer to give their son a less violent game would not cut it. They screamed lawsuit and a whole bunch of other nonsense at the poor guy that I seriously thought he would cry more than the last time he read a Hilaire Belloc poem (read a book!).
At this point I actually laughed. Not a soft, behind my hand chuckle; but rather a massive belly powered guffaw at their stupidity. I laughed so hard they even stopped yelling and just stared at me incredulously. I looked the father straight in the eye and said “Seriously my friend, do you really think you will achieve any satisfaction from this? The warning on the front is blatantly obvious. The game is called Gears of War and there is a huge chart right behind you explaining the ratings system. Your wife even came with him to the store to buy him a game he would not even be allowed to buy without a parent. Seriously, and I mean no disrespect (though I really did), but think about what you’re saying.”
That’s it. The father looked rather ashamed at this point and turned to leave, though his wife seemed ready to launch into another tirade. A firm tug on her arm and a stern look from Dad ended that and they promptly left the store. I looked at the EB clerk and said “So how about that application form?”
Wouldn’t you know it, his response was “Sorry, I just checked, and it seems we have already filled the position. I really should take down that sign.”
I just wish karma paid weekly…
ARGGGGGGGGGG!
![[Post to Twitter]](http://sarcasticgamer.com/wp/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter.png){kind=icon}
| Related Posts:
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Sadly, this is not uncommon.
http://www.actsofgord.com/
And you didnt even get the job… shame… that might of become the best EB store ever (one with decent management)
All the way through that I was thinking and hoping “please end with him saying something to them”. Good on you. Its typical that no-one wants to to accept blame for their own ineptitude!
OMFG
common MFing sense lmao
oh man you made my day, thanks PacManPolarBear.
WOW we have those in Mexico too and the parents come in like that? man i wish you would have taped it or took pictures, probably the store security camera
And it sucks that you didn’t get the job, probably the clerk thought he shouldn’t give you the form, which makes him an &%$#
whatever happened to parents coming up to their kids and explain them what happens in a game is not real??? I remember my parents coming up to me and TALKING to me about violence or sex, whatever happened to that?
What do you think guys? I wanna hear your thoughts on this… would you:
a) Explain to your kids what’s going on in the game? (of course, you are not gonna let your 6 yr old kid play manhunt or something like that)
b) Rely on the rating system as a rule (you don’t get to play this game until you are… 14 because the box says so)
c) Use the rating system as a guideline (ok you are 12, I guess you can play some T-rated games)
d) Just let them play what they think is right because you educated them to make all the right choices???
can i leave my e-mail for that? I’ll give it a try
it’s alejandrocastellanosleon@hotmail.com
I really wanna know your thoughts on this.
oh and don’t vote for hillary clinton, she doesn’t like violence in video games.
its still happens in england even thoudh we have ratings like
3+
12+
16+
18+
I am not surprised that it turns out that you can’t work there because :
1) You know too much about video games
2) you obviously play games on other systems besides the DS
3) you know how to diffuse stupid angry parents
I am so glad you put them in their place…justice has been served!
@ alejandro when I have kids I will try to use the rating as a guide but ultimately I would have to make a judgement call since I am into games and could play them beforehand.
If I was a clueless parent though, I would rely on the rairing IF I was too lazy to do any research. In a way, I pity both the parents and their kids who are in this situation. Why? Becuase What really infuriates me is when a politician or writer slamms a game without even playing it. This happened with Kevin McCollough who wrote an editorial about Mass Effect which was full of all kinds of bunk.
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/KevinMcCullough/2008/01/13/the_sex-box_race_for_president
I would have paid real money to watch that speech PMPB gave to those half-a-tard parents… priceless.
haha that is so funny! I would have laughed so hard if i was there
I didn’t get hired at Gamestop either when I applied about a year and a half ago (before the Wii & PS3 came out). I said something about both systems to show off my video game knowledge and the 20-year old jerk-off said to me “Yeah, that’s why I don’t play video games”.
Whoa, whoa, whoa–wait a minute. What? I should be interviewing him for this job!
When I came home, I punched my cat and went to sleep. A few weeks later I went back to the same Gamestop because I pre-ordered a game there. When I got to the store, there was a new cashier who was a complete ditz. She seemed more clueless about video games than my mom! As I attempted to pay for my game, she “messed up” on the register and had to call “Joe” to help her (it was the same dude who interviewed me). So after about five minutes of waiting, I paid for my stuff and was on my way.
The wait wasn’t too bad. She had a nice rack.
^last sentance was rude.
I agree, if you work at gamestop it should be a prerequisite to be a gamer.
It was at my establishment!
“I just wish karma paid weekly” Great ending, pretty good story xD
You really deserved the job, its funny, I went to one of the few “video-games only” stores in Bogota, Colombia and it was attended by 16 to 19 year old girls, they were hot but they did not know anything about video games. An old lady came into the store asking for “something about a little red guy in a galaxy” and I had to tell them that she was looking for Mario Galaxy after they spent several minutes trying to figure out what the old lady wanted for her grandchild. I wish I could work there.
Haha this is a really great article! Sorry you didn’t get the job.