Teenagers

I've always said that I wanted to work with young adults - high school and college aged kids. Sometimes I question that - teenagers can be so sullen. At work, I see all kinds, though:

• A young woman came in with her mom because her face had broken out after using her mom's heavy facial products. She just sat there with a dull expression on her face while her mom tried to negotiate finding a better product for her.
• A young man confidently approached me at the store for service and impressed the hell out of me by making direct eye contact, smiling and using my name. It was a little disconcerting, but I'm not too proud to admit that I wanted to be more like that teenage boy.
• A young woman came in looking for sweet smelling shampoo and we took every bottle off the shelf to sniff at them until I had to walk away with my head pounding.
• A young man cruises around the store without making any eye contact while he pulls up his too big pants and nods his head to the tune of whatever song is currently playing on his iPod.
• A couple of college kids come in passionately discussing politics, completely oblivious to the angry stares of those around them.

Teenagers are such a mixed bag, but I guess that's sort of their magic, too.