Maturity

Maturity. . . haha maturity, It seems to be a word with a very unclear meaning these days. A few months ago I was talking to my mom and she said something along the lines of "Oh, I can't wait till you're an adult!" and since I legally already was an adult I responded "Well mom, I am" she said "Yeah, but not really. You're not really an adult" I asked why and she said "You just aren't at that level of maturity yet"

Hmm. . . that level of maturity. Since then I suppose I have been trying to figure out what exactly that level of maturity is, and what makes me "Not an adult yet". Much of my confusion is rooted in the fact that I know many "adults" to whom my mother would not deny their "adultness" but who are probably some of the most immature people I have met. Today was a shining example.

I work at a stand in the mall where I sit all day asking people if they want to try a free sample of sorbet. We have 6 flavors Pineapple, Pina Colada, and Coconut cost $4 each, Orange, Lemon and Apple are $3 each, we have a mixed 10 pack for $20, and we also have freezer bags that cost $2 for if it's going to be awhile before you can get home and get your ten pack in the freezer. They are set prices, just like if you went to Kroger's to buy ice cream. Despite this I quite often get people asking me for discounts. Today a lady and her friend came up to the stand, both probably in their forties. One of them I recognized, I soled her her first ten pack a couple months ago, and now every time she returns she asks for a discount, she is always denied. Today she "insisted" a bit stronger. She raised her voice saying "I buy three of these a week and i deserve a discount!" I told her "Ma'am, I'm not in the position to be authorizing discounts" Her: "But I buy these ALL THE TIME!" and I said(to try and make a reasonable point) "Isn't it the same as when I go buy milk at Kroger's every week? I never get a discount" This remark seemed to offend her quite a bit. I can understand how my comment could be interpreted as smart Alec, but my tone was in no way indicating sarcasm. I was trying to reason with her since she asks EVERY TIME. She went on trying to convince me to give her a discount. So because her "insisting" didn't work, she moved on to bullying telling me how horrible an employee I am and "how can you ever expect to make sales with that attitude!" She told me that she was going to just go on the Internet and order the sorbets there(We sell a special brand of sorbet that come in the fruit shell and is shipped from Africa, our owner, also my best friends dad, has the north American rights for the sorbet) So i began to explain "I can give you the website ma'am, but these com from afi--" "I KNOW WHERE THEY COME FROM!"she interrupted, I continued "They come from Africa, so the shipping cost on an order as small as one box would be tremendous" more happened, finally her friend decided she wanted to get one anyways so I ring her up and get a ten pack out of the freezer and ask "Would you like me to put this in a bag for you ma'am?" "Yes, i would" she responded with that "DUH!" attitude in her voice, I got a grocery bag out and began to put the ten pack in, the first lady chimes in with "put it in one of them freezer bags!" I said: "I can do that but those cost $2 extra" she gave me a look of angry bewilderment: "I always get one for free! are you saying she as to pay for her ten pack AND her freezer bag?! GIVE HER ONE FOR FREE!" ("Yes you have to pay for everything you buy, what a crazy thought!" i thought to myself) "I can't do that ma'am, if you got a freezer bag for free before then the employee who sold you the ten pack paid for the freezer bag with their own money, I'm sorry but I personally don't have enough money to buy stuff for every customer I sell to" She kept on insisting and brought up buying them on the Internet again I told her I'd be happy to give her the web address and again warned her about the high prices, her only response was "YEAH, BUT THEY'LL COME IN FREEZER BAGS WON'T THEY?!" and I said "Yes, ma'am they will most likely be packed in something to keep them frozen (except I doubt it will be less than $2 extra). I guess she couldn't understand that what she was doing was exactly the same as a school yard bully picking on the younger kids for their school lunch money. finally they left after insulting me some more, practically spitting on me. They went around to all the stands around me telling the employees there how much of an ass I was. they then came back asking for a refund saying "I refuse to buy from someone who treats me this way" I said ( as I returned her money) "Ok ma'am, I'm sorry for the trouble, would you like that web address?" "No. . . but I would like your manager's number" she said while a slight grin. I said "well we don't have a manager, but here is our owner" I wrote down his name and number and gave it to her. She left. Later my boss called me and told me what she said on the phone. She called and said: "Are you the pineapple guy!?" he eventually figured out what she meant "yes ma'am I am, can I help you?" her: "YOU NEED TO TELL THAT BIG DICK, GREASE HAIR, STUPID HAT, WHITE BOY TO GET FIRED!" him: "Excuse me ma'am?" her: "HE WAS SO RUDE TO ME! and wouldn't give me a discount, probably because I'm black!" and she told him what happened. He dismissed her saying that he's been going to McDonald's more than three times a week for ten years and he still hasn't gotten his discount. she screamed: "YOU'RE A DICK TOO!" and hung up. But I bet my mom wouldn't say she wasn't an adult. So if it is not age, and not maturity that determines whether someone is an adult or not, then what does?