As the new school year settles in, the number of underage alcohol purchases usually takes a spike for the worst. During this past Wednesday’s sting operation by the San Ramon Police Department’s Youth Services Division, underage decoys were successfully able to purchase alcohol at five out of twenty local businesses.

They were sent into restaurants, grocery stores, bars, convenience stores and gas stations. At two locations, the decoys bought alcohol even after showing ID revealing that they were underage.

This incident brings to mind the plot to the latest box office smash, “Superbad,” where the characters desperately attempt to get hold of alcohol to supply for a house party. One of the more memorable characters — McLovin — attempts to purchase $90 worth of alcohol at a convenience store. He almost walks out of the store with the load of booze until a mugger pops out of nowhere and decks him to get all the store’s cash. The sequence of events that follows after that scene is quite hilarious and entertaining but that’s beside the point here.

The results of the sting operation are a poor reflection of local businesses either acting indifferently or shamelessly to whom they’re selling alcohol. I’m headed off to college in a few weeks and even my doctor warned me about the pressures of alcohol abuse in college. I’m bracing myself at the prospect of getting involved in my share of late night partying, where I will have to make choices that stem from these kinds of situations.

- Joseph Natividad