American Notes GENERATIONS

In the battle against loitering teenagers, 7-Eleven stores thought about putting pointed lids on trash cans and flooding their premises with halogen lights. Finally the shops hit on the ultimate weapon: playing saccharine tunes guaranteed to send adolescents screeching into the night. Says 7-Eleven spokeswoman Margaret Chavris: "They won't hang around and tap their feet to Mantovani." Most teens agree. "Can you believe this nonsense?" says Ray LaVerne, 18, at Southland's store in Tillicum, Wash.

Now that the "music from hell" has successfully been tested, strains of Some Enchanted Evening are expected to be featured in other stores. Those who have been assaulted by teenagers' boom boxes may view this as sweet revenge.