Lessons in public humiliation

On the afternoon of Dec. 8, in the ceramics department of Metro Department Store in Plaza Senayan, I was an unwilling witness to what I can only call a lesson in public humiliation.

A boy of about 10 had accidentally caught his bookbag on a porcelain figurine, knocking it from its shelf and causing a chip at one end. The boy was marched over to a security guard, who marched him back to the ceramics department and proceeded to inspect the damage. The boy's sister and about five friends, plus an ever increasing gaggle of Metro personnel and shoppers, looked on as the security guard declared that the boy would have to pay the Rp 200,000 for the figurine. As the boy started sobbing and his friends squirmed in embarrassment, the security guard and a male Metro employee threatened to call his parents "because somebody has to pay for this".

It was an ugly and uncomfortable scene, which was not helped by the Metro shopgirls chiming in with comments that included "Satpam ini kurang tegas" ("this security guard isn't tough enough") as though he should have slapped the kid around a little.

Thankfully, one of the boy's sisters returned with the required payment. The boy tearfully said sorry to his sister, who was also crying as she tried to comfort him.

I went to the manager's office to ask why this unsightly scene was played out for public consumption. While I understood that Metro has a policy that shoppers are responsible for any breakage (there are little warning notices all around), I found the treatment of the boy to be unnecessarily harsh and insensitive.

Want to settle the problem? Then take the boy to a separate room, away from prying eyes and stupid comments. We all know that stores are covered by insurance for breakages large and small, so why make the boy pay the full amount? Really want to call his parents? Either do it, or stop making the threat, which can be pretty frightening to a boy of 10. And calling a security guard did not seem the most sensitive way to approach the breakage of a porcelain figurine.

As for the Metro employee in the manager's office who told me that all shoppers have to take responsibility for their actions: Granted, that is true for adults, but perhaps some compromise can be used with children. Or, pick on someone your own size.

BRUCE EMOND

Jakarta