- You're a conundrum, I don't know,
you're very confusing.
I mean you've got earrings and the watch,
I don't think it's a designer watch.
Oh actually, it is a designer watch, what do you know?
So-- - And these diamonds are real.
(lighthearted music)
- My name's Mathew.
I've been a convenient store clerk
for four years now.
- I work at a little bodega convenient store market.
- I work at a gas station.
- [Interviewer] Have you had someone attempt
to purchase items when they're underage?
- Yeah I have.
- Probably like 20 times a day.
- [Interviewer] Really?
- Oh yeah.
- [Interviewer] How can you tell if someone's under 18?
- They're fidgety, they don't look you in the eyes.
- They'll be like this, and they're like,
"Can I get cigarettes?"
- [Interviewer] Today you're guessing if strangers
are over or under 18 years of age.
- Okay, yeah. - How do you think
you're gonna do?
- My boss is watching.
Nine out of nine, let's say nine out of nine.
- [Interviewer] We're gonna start bringing them out, okay?
- Hi I'm Dan.
- Andrea. - Andrea?
- Mm-hmm.
- Hmm, she has like a very all ages outfit.
- Still got that young look, so yeah.
- [Interviewer] What is that young look?
- Like high school-ish.
- It looks like you haven't hit your growth spurt yet,
you're definitely under 18.
No offense to you, but don't worry,
you'll get there one day.
- I'd say maybe like 16, 17 maybe?
- Thank you. - Mm-hmm.
Hello. - Hi.
- Yeah, you're definitely underage, yeah.
- This person's under 18, there's no way.
- [Interviewer] Why?
- Just bone structure.
She has the bones of a young person.
- She seems a little nervous,
like her hands are in front of her,
and that's kind of how I kind of interpret
like if she would be asking for cigarettes,
that's how she would ask.
What brand of cigarettes do you like?
- I don't know, I don't know.
- You don't know? - No,
I don't know. - Well, usually they say
I don't know and then run off,
or they say like Marb Reds which is the most like
generic kind of cigarette that you can get.
- Underage.
Were you shaving with a mock 20?
Yeah I got three hairs there.
- What kind of cigarettes do you smoke?
- Marlboro Reds. - Marb Reds,
this is the most common kind of person
that we have coming in the store for cigarettes
'cause he's like the biggest of their friend group
if he is under 18, so they send him in.
- Do you guys have any overage people comin' out?
- [Interviewer] (laughs) Maybe.
- Hi I'm Sarah. - Hi I'm Ford,
nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you too.
- My first impression is above 18.
- I'd say over.
- [Interviewer] Why?
- I don't know, she just looks not as innocent.
- [Interviewer] So she's seen some shit.
- Yeah. - What do you think
she's seen?
- A graduation. (laughs)
- I think you're throwing me off with this one
because she could pass as definitely under 18,
but she's not under 18.
She just kind of has like an energetic, like youthful vibe.
- Yeah I'm gonna think over.
- [Interviewer] What do you think she buys?
- She would probably buy Swishers.
What kind of cigarettes would you buy?
- I probably would buy Swishers,
and it would be Wild Rush
flavored. - Wild Rush, see
she knows what she's talking about.
- I'm gonna say you're like right around 17, 18-ish.
- [Interviewer] So I need a firm choice,
one or the other. - Oh, this is gonna
be hard. - What do your instincts say?
- Under 18.
- I would say over 18 because the amount of piercings
especially where the piercings are.
- You're not 18 I don't think,
like just too innocent.
- Jeez,
you are an enigma.
- Can you buy some cigarettes from me?
- Can I get that pack of cigarettes over there?
- What kind?
- The one with the camel?
- I'm not sold, I think he's under 18.
- He might be over 18,
no he's definitely under 18.
He keeps looking nervously at me
like I'm an elder estates men to him.
He's kind of giving me the like revered eye,
so I'm gonna say he's definitely under 18.
- Her eyes are kinda childish,
well not childish but young still.
- She just exudes like this positive like radiance
and she's cute.
I'm just gonna say you're over 18
just 'cause you're pretty cute.
If I saw you on Tinder, I would probably swipe right.
(all laughing)
- Aw shit, you're a conundrum.
I mean the earrings and the watch,
I don't think it's a designer watch.
Oh actually, it is a designer watch, what do you know?
So-- - And these diamonds are real.
- They are real? - Yeah.
- And he has a tattoo,
okay he has a tattoo.
- You need to be 18 to get tattoos, how did you?
- I know he's trying to throw it off with the tattoo
'cause you gotta be over 18 to get that.
- [Interviewer] Is it real?
- Yeah it looks real.
- He's still under 18 though 'cause you know his like,
facial hair hasn't really grown in very much.
- The peach fuzz on his face, can't really grow
a mustache, he's underage.
- [Interviewer] He looks a little upset though.
- I know right. (laughs)
- [Interviewer] Is it intimidating at all?
- No.
- [Interviewer] So how many out of nine
do you think you got?
Maybe like three.
- I think I did good, I might have got two wrong.
- [Interviewer] All right everybody, come on in.
With a show of hands, who did he guess correctly?
- Damn, I guess I got a couple more wrong than I thought.
- [Interviewer] Who did he get correct
with a show of hands?
- Okay, okay wow, that's pretty good.
Six out of nine, I'd say that's a passing grade.
- Which ones are over 18?
No way.
(all laughing)
What?
- [Interviewer] Who looks like the youngest person there?
- The kid.
(all laughing)
- [Interviewer] Who were you surprised by?
- Probably you, it's the piercing.
What were your parents thinking
letting you do that? - I just begged my mom
for a year.
- [Interviewer] You thought Ashlyn was over.
- Yeah, so you really are under 18?
- Yeah, I'm 17. (laughs)
- [Interviewer] So how was that?
- That was a lot harder than I thought it would.
I had no idea what was going in there.
I was like a chicken with it's head cut off.
- I think I need to learn a little better
on guessing people's ages.
But I think I'm pretty good though,
'cause I got most of them right.
- All of them, technically if they came to the store
that I work at, I would card every single one of them.
- [Interviewer] You were eyeballing somebody under 18.
- I know, don't tell my wife.
- [Interviewer] Okay we won't.