Ugly is a word often used to describe things that are displeasing or offensive to us. It’s not just the physical attributes of such things or persons, but also the attitudes, emotions, judgments, and general affect that can exude an ugliness.

It is important to note that some of the things we consider ugly are not necessarily ugly when they are taken into context. For instance the American Cockroach otherwise known as the Palmento Bug (if you live in the Carolina’s) isn’t necessarily ugly to people who like bugs. Just to clarify, I find them disgustingly ugly. They make my skin crawl, but my grandson loves them. He has had some real “beauties” as pets over the years.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so it goes to reason that the same goes for ugliness. Here’s an example of what I am talking about. I am the closing manager in a retail store in my neighborhood. The other night while working I heard somone bouncing a basketball in the store. I very nicely asked that they stop bouncing the ball in the store. The bouncing stopped then started up again. I walked toward the teenaged girl who was bouncing the ball and asked that she refrain from bouncing it. She ignored me and I repeated my request a third time. With that, her mother told her to continue to bounce the ball if she wanted to and told me to leave her alone she was not hurting anyone. Her daughter just laughed at me and kept bouncing the ball. Now, understand that we have many older customers and many young customers as well as a lot of glass all around the store. The request was made out of safety for all concerned.

I explained to the woman and her daugher that she would need to leave the store if my request was not heeded. At which time she told me that I could not make her leave. I called the police asking to have assistance removing them from the store. After making a mess while I was on the phone and realizing I was really speaking to the dispatcher, they walked out. At that time I was asked if they had left the parking lot. I had to walk outside to see if they had and watched them get into their vehicle. It was then that they threatened me with physical harm. Now I have to tell you that we have a wonderful police force and they responded right away. The customers were long gone, but they did go around the outside or the building to make sure they were not still on the property.

My eye beheld very ugly behavior not so much from the teenaged daughter, but from a mother who was going out of her way to teach that teen that she need not respect property, authority, or herself. It was shameful to say the least.