It can't just be me....

I don't mean to sound like a grumpy bastard who many would mistake for a 47 year old, but children today are so much stupider than when I was a kid.

Case in point:

Not more than 2 hours ago I went into my local corner shop. Normally when I do this, one of two things occurs. I exchange money for goods which I require and leave, or I knock something off a shelf and have to exchange money for it along with my required goods.

Today however was entirely different. I entered the shop to find what can only be described as a a metric fuckton of children attempting to buy sweets. And it is in this buying that we finally reach my point.

Child: If I buy this salt^[1] how much money will I have left?
*Child of about 11 holds up a £1 coin and a tub of salt with 52p written on it. I pause and frown slightly in amusement.*
Shopkeep: 48p.
Child: But I want to buy this too!
*Child holds up a bottle of milk with 70p written on it*
Shopkeep: You don't have enough to buy both, you only have £1.
*Child discards the milk and scratches his head briefly as I begin to despair*
Child: Well, if I only get the salt, how many 2p sweets can I buy with what's left?
*Shopkeep frowns and ignores the question.
Shopkeep: Do you want to spend the rest of the change on sweets?
Child: No, just 30p
*shopkeep obliges and sorts out his sweets and change as I begin to get served by another delightful shopkeep.*


At this point I'm slightly amused, depressed and angry at just how annoying this kid is with his lack of maths skills, but he was yet to deliver his imbecilic coup de grace. Instead of leaving, the kid just looks into his hand bemused, then at me, then at his friend, and finally at the woman who just served him. After a few seconds he finally plucks up the courage to speak and says

Child: Did I pay you?

I am quite honestly stunned at this moment, I can't believe this kid is not only shite at maths, but also at remembering something that happened less than 60 seconds ago.
The shopkeep looks at me with a beleaguered smile and I shake my head, then she says to him

Shopkeep: Yes you did
Child: Then what's this money in my hand?
Shopkeep: ....
Me: ..... *in open mouthed amazement*
Shopkeep: That's your change
Child: What?

Sadly I had to leave the shop at his point, my transaction completed and my ire significantly raised.


I can't be the only one who is frightened by the fact that his generation will be in charge one day?

It can't just be me....


^{[1] Go with it. I don't know why he was buying salt either}