Rest in peace, Kenny
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It's a smallish town. I can't say that everyone knows everyone else, but there are a few people that everyone in town knows. Kenny was one of those customers.
He was a 38 year old mentally challenged man, very childlike and naive. His family really didn't show him much care. They allowed him to wander the roads whenever he wanted, used his SSI check every month for themselves, and when he wanted something, he usually had to end up begging for money from the customers in the parking lots of the various stores in town. They would send him on errands, for groceries, for cigarettes, and never once did they give him enough money for what was on the list. He didn't bathe, his clothes were usually dirty, but he was a very friendly person who only wanted someone to talk to him for a few minutes, and perhaps give him some money for his "can of baccer."
Kenny is not the sucky customer in this part of the story. He could be annoying, but I blame his family for treating him as an errand boy instead of a son, and leaving him to mostly fend for himself. Social services were called several times, but nothing was ever done about his neglect.
He came into our grocery store and cigarette store every day, so we got to know him well. Of course, with his childlike mind, it meant that sometimes we had to be stern with him.
"Kenny, you can't stand outside the store and ask people for money. The owner told us not to let you. You know that."
"Kenny, stop trying to bring the carts in, you're not allowed to...oh crap." Cue someone running after three or four out of control carts before they crash into someone's vehicle. We were not always successful.
"Kenny, stop! You know you can't get in people's cars without asking! You're scaring that lady, she doesn't know you!"
"Kenny, the owner said you can't just hang out in here, honey. You have to buy something or go home."
"Kenny, stop stuffing paper in the coin returns on the soda machines. That's taking money from other people and it's wrong." (okay, this was actually pretty slick, lol. The coins wouldn't come out, he'd come and collect them after the people left.)
Sometimes he would try and take customer's groceries out hoping they'd give him a dollar or two, and while we tried to discourage it, we couldn't actually tell him no. The fit a mother threw when Kenny grabbed her grocery cart and started wheeling out the groceries and her baby is best left to the imagination.
He was a frequent topic of discussion in the store, mainly about how he shouldn't be allowed to wander the roads at night. He hardly ever looked before he crossed the street, and had been hit before. Everyone who knew him said that it was only a matter of time before he got hit again. We said it, but in our hearts I don't think we actually believed it. After all, we saw him every day, he was a part of our lives.
Last Sunday night Kenny was struck and killed by a state trooper on his way through our town. The investigation is still going on, but it's pretty clear what happened. The trooper wasn't from our town, it was ten o'clock at night, he had no idea that he should watch out for a man crossing the road. Kenny picked the wrong time to cross, probably without looking as usual. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Now comes the sucky customer, besides Kenny's family, that is. Most regulars heard all of us telling Kenny "You can't do that, we're not allowed to let you, you need to go on home now, etc." A man who came through my line on the day of Kenny's funeral laughed and said, "I bet you all are relieved. You ain't gotta put up with Kenny anymore."
Relieved? That a man is dead for no reason? That a childlike person who never hurt anyone lost his life? Because he was annoying at times, that means we should be glad he's dead? Sorry, but no. What happened to him was heartbreaking, and we're all missing him. Every time I look out the window, I expect to see him strolling up to the store. No, we're not relieved. Not at all. In fact, fuck you for thinking so little of us and so little of him.
It's a smallish town. I can't say that everyone knows everyone else, but there are a few people that everyone in town knows. Kenny was one of those customers.
He was a 38 year old mentally challenged man, very childlike and naive. His family really didn't show him much care. They allowed him to wander the roads whenever he wanted, used his SSI check every month for themselves, and when he wanted something, he usually had to end up begging for money from the customers in the parking lots of the various stores in town. They would send him on errands, for groceries, for cigarettes, and never once did they give him enough money for what was on the list. He didn't bathe, his clothes were usually dirty, but he was a very friendly person who only wanted someone to talk to him for a few minutes, and perhaps give him some money for his "can of baccer."
Kenny is not the sucky customer in this part of the story. He could be annoying, but I blame his family for treating him as an errand boy instead of a son, and leaving him to mostly fend for himself. Social services were called several times, but nothing was ever done about his neglect.
He came into our grocery store and cigarette store every day, so we got to know him well. Of course, with his childlike mind, it meant that sometimes we had to be stern with him.
"Kenny, you can't stand outside the store and ask people for money. The owner told us not to let you. You know that."
"Kenny, stop trying to bring the carts in, you're not allowed to...oh crap." Cue someone running after three or four out of control carts before they crash into someone's vehicle. We were not always successful.
"Kenny, stop! You know you can't get in people's cars without asking! You're scaring that lady, she doesn't know you!"
"Kenny, the owner said you can't just hang out in here, honey. You have to buy something or go home."
"Kenny, stop stuffing paper in the coin returns on the soda machines. That's taking money from other people and it's wrong." (okay, this was actually pretty slick, lol. The coins wouldn't come out, he'd come and collect them after the people left.)
Sometimes he would try and take customer's groceries out hoping they'd give him a dollar or two, and while we tried to discourage it, we couldn't actually tell him no. The fit a mother threw when Kenny grabbed her grocery cart and started wheeling out the groceries and her baby is best left to the imagination.
He was a frequent topic of discussion in the store, mainly about how he shouldn't be allowed to wander the roads at night. He hardly ever looked before he crossed the street, and had been hit before. Everyone who knew him said that it was only a matter of time before he got hit again. We said it, but in our hearts I don't think we actually believed it. After all, we saw him every day, he was a part of our lives.
Last Sunday night Kenny was struck and killed by a state trooper on his way through our town. The investigation is still going on, but it's pretty clear what happened. The trooper wasn't from our town, it was ten o'clock at night, he had no idea that he should watch out for a man crossing the road. Kenny picked the wrong time to cross, probably without looking as usual. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Now comes the sucky customer, besides Kenny's family, that is. Most regulars heard all of us telling Kenny "You can't do that, we're not allowed to let you, you need to go on home now, etc." A man who came through my line on the day of Kenny's funeral laughed and said, "I bet you all are relieved. You ain't gotta put up with Kenny anymore."
Relieved? That a man is dead for no reason? That a childlike person who never hurt anyone lost his life? Because he was annoying at times, that means we should be glad he's dead? Sorry, but no. What happened to him was heartbreaking, and we're all missing him. Every time I look out the window, I expect to see him strolling up to the store. No, we're not relieved. Not at all. In fact, fuck you for thinking so little of us and so little of him.