children and intoxicants

Last night after not seeing a movie about smoking where nobody smokes, i bought a bottle of wine from an eight-year-old and then went home to smoke.

I don't know if this is within the law or not, or if it isn't then who was breaking it - him or me? I don't think it should be me. I just wanted the wine. I didn't particularly set out to buy it from child. He had the wine, i had the money; it was an open-market exchange.

He was very officious about the whole thing, much less self-conscious than me, and obviously much more experienced in the ways of commerce, even at that tender age.

Not having any cash, as usual, i asked if he would take a card. Yes, but there would be a 50 pence charge. 50 cents? i said, having misheard him. 'Pence,' he said with a sigh, disdainfully as only 8-year-olds can when they hear grown-ups blithering inexcusable idiocies. Children can be so cruel.

He rang up my purchase of a bottle of red wine and ...I dread to say...tampons, and then told me very sternly and enunciating very clearly for my obvious problems understanding commercial transactions, 'Put...in...your...pin...number.'

I did as i was told.

Am i encouraging child labour? Under age drinking? The menstrual cycles of a minor?