Getting Fired From Your First Job

My son was 14 and got his first part time job as a cashier in a grocery store.  He had a 2 week training period where an older person instructed him and then watched over him.  His cash register was never off by even a penny. . . and everyone, including my son, was happy about this!  He was actually liking this job, especially because he was getting positive feedback from his bosses and peers.  One time I picked him up and we went to another grocery store to get a red box. The first thing he noticed was how sloppy all the shopping carts were at the other grocery store!  He said his shopping carts would never look like this. The next week he was telling me about the current grocery sales.  He was beginning to feel accomplished working for this pocket money. Then after the third week they promoted him!  He was now working at the express line.He was feeling good about himself.  My husband and I were at another son's baseball game and my cell phone rings and it is this working son. "Mom. Can you please come and get me now?"
He was supposed to be working 4 more hours.  I said "Are you ok?" "Yes." "Did something happen?"  "Yes.  I will tell you when you get here." I left the game. He was sitting on the curb waiting for me and   he didn't look too good.  I said, "What happened?"  He told me...it was Saturday and the store was very very busy. It was like everyone in town was shopping at that store at that time. The check out lines were long. People were impatient. It was his first day at the express line. A kid, who looked to be an older teen asked for chewing tobacco. He sold it to him. Then checked out the next person in line.  About 10 minutes later a man in a badge comes over to my son and tells him he has broken the law by selling tobacco products to underage kids and here is your $250 fine. There was a young associate manger in charge. She saw the commotion and also saw the line backing up even worse and went to find out what happened. She said, " Store policy is any issues at all with anyone under age 16 we immediately fire them. No questions. I am sorry, but you are fired." We found out later  this was a sting set up. The state department of alcohol and tobacco targets stores to watch if they sell tobacco products to minors.  They pick a store where a young person is working because they are the ones who usually sell to minors. The employees of this state funded department scout the local stores and pick a young person to trap. Well, this person was my son.
It took at least 4 more weeks for him to  not feel discouraged and find the ambition to begin to look for another job.