Ah, Fathers, Part 5

(I’m stocking the shelves. A male customer with a small child of about four comes up to me and asks if there is a post office nearby. I tell him there is one a couple of blocks away. He looks at the clock, and then takes his son’s hand and prepares to walk out of the store. The child doesn’t want to go.)

Customer: *to the child* “Come on, we need to go to the post office. It’ll close soon.”

Child: “I want to look at toys.”

Customer: “We have to go now. We can come back later.”

Child: “You go. I’ll wait here and play.”

Customer: “You can’t.”

Child: “Why?”

Customer: “Because your dad will go to jail for that.”

(The child looks perplexed.)

Customer: *trying to explain* “Think smaller Christmas present. And you’ll have to stay with Grandma a lot.”