(I am a lifeguard at a public school. While guarding the diving boards, I hear a loud smack from behind me. I turn to see two children who look to be about 10 or 11, standing in line for the high dive, yelling at each other.)
Me: “Excuse me, is there a problem?”
Boy: “YEAH! She hit me!”
Girl: “NO! He hit me first!”
Boy: “Nuh-uh! You hit ME first!”
(I look and see the that both children have red marks on their face as if they were recently slapped. However, I have no way of finding out who started this fight.)
Me: “Excuse me, but —”
Woman In Line: “Send them to the back of the line! Punish those brats!”
Me: *to woman* “Don’t worry, ma’am; I’ve got this situation under—-“
Boy: “You can’t send me to the back! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
(The boy runs off in terror.)
Girl: “I’m not going to the back of the line! You can’t make me! I’ve been in line FOREVER!”
Me: “I’m not going to send you to the back of the line. I just —”
Girl: “I’m not going to the back of the line!”
Me: “I didn’t say —”
Girl: “I’M NOT GOING! YOU CAN’T MAKE ME! I’M TELLING MY DADDY ABOUT THIS!”
(The girl stomps away to get her father. A few minutes later, a rather large and intimidating man comes up to me.)
Man: “Look, I’m sorry for how my daughter acted. We’ve been trying to teach her some manners. Don’t worry about it.”
(Later, I find out that the man called the lead lifeguard, and I got officially commended!)
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