HAVERHILL — When 9-year-old Hannah Gosselin of Methuen put 50 cents into a vending machine at the Market Basket in Riversedge Plaza, she was hoping for some rub-on tattoos.
Instead, she got what her mother said was a racially tinged political message directed against President Barack Obama.
Gratia Gosselin said what came out of the machine was a fake $1 million bill featuring a cartoon image of an animal that appeared to be a sheep standing on two feet. Appearing on the front of the bill next to the animal were the words "O'Baaaama" and "I'm Baaaad!" The reverse side read "This bill is good for 4 free years of healthcare." The back also displayed a suggestion that kids tell parents their health care needs will be taken care of, and that parents should buy them some electronic toys, such as an iPod.
"It was a rip-off," Hannah said. "I already have an iPod.''
Her parents were angry that play money made for children would carry such a message.
Gratia Gosselin, who works as a customer service representative at a bank, said she didn't get a good look at the bill until they got home from the supermarket.
"Hannah thought it was cute, but I was a little offended at what I saw when I looked at it," Gratia Gosselin said. "The bill has a creature, supposedly a sheep, which is decidedly made to appear African American."
Gratia and her husband, Mark Gosselin, a software engineer, found the political message printed on the reverse side of the bill to be equally offensive.
It read: "Kid's, let your parents know that you'll be taking care of all their healthcare needs so they should buy you that new cellphone, ipod, or video game you've been asking for. It's great to live in the USA!"
"This offends me on so many levels," Gratia Gosselin said. "First, I am from a multi-racial family and I find it inappropriate in that respect. Second, I am not an Obama supporter, in fact I am a registered Republican. However, I teach my children to respect and support our national leadership regardless of my party affiliation."
Gratia Gosselin has a brother-in-law who is African American and a niece who is biracial.
Yesterday an Eagle-Tribune reporter visited the Market Basket at Riversedge Plaza, where Gratia Gosselin said her daughter bought the play money, and inserted several dollars in coins into the same vending machine to see what kinds of other bills it would dispense. The vending machine is near the supermarket entrance where children often use coins to buy novelties like stickers or small toys.
The machine spit out colorful phony bills in various denominations. The bills displayed a variety of cartoon animal characters and messages ranging from political to inspirational.
A $2 bill with the image of a dog wearing a man's dress hat suggests children "pay up and get the low-down from your friends, posse or entourage." A $50 bill with the image of a cat suggests children pay off a supervisor and get out of detention free. A flying pig on a $20 bill displays words telling kids to do great things and then pass the bill along to others so they can do great things, such as helping a friend or a teacher, volunteering or even saving the world. Each bill carries the image of a dog's food bowl marked "My Lil' Pets."
The Eagle-Tribune contacted Market Basket manager Jerry Rourke yesterday to discuss the bills. Rourke said he was surprised about the bill that Hannah got from the machine, but said he could not comment on it and suggested the newspaper call Market Basket's corporate office. The Eagle-Tribune was unable to reach anyone at the corporate office yesterday. The vending machine carried a label indicating it was owned by Modern Amusements of Windham, N.H. No phone listing for the company was available.
Gratia Gosselin said the bill her daughter got may have been intended as a harmless novelty, but she and her husband consider it inappropriate and offensive. They want other parents to beware of the kinds of things that may end up in their children's hands and to be on guard.
"Parents should be aware of what their kids are getting," Mark Gosselin said. "I don't think it's the supermarket, or even the vendor, who probably just buys this stuff in bulk and just fills the machines."
Hannah said children her age would probably love to get other kinds of novelties when they put their coins into similar vending machines.
"I'd like to get more animal-shaped rubber bands," Hannah said. "You can wear them as bracelets or collect them and trade them with other kids."
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