On A Berating And A Prayer

(It’s 8 am on a Sunday morning, and only my second day working the register alone at a very large, well-known 24-hour store. Two customers come up to my register with four carts overflowing with food.)

Me: “Good morning, how are you today?” *starts scanning and bagging items*

Younger Customer: “Hello, these are separate orders.”

Me: “Oh, okay! Just let me know when to stop for the first order.”

Older Customer: “Who said to scan this stuff?! What’s wrong with you!? Did I say we were ready for you to start? Are you stupid?”

Me: “Oh! Um… I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Older Customer: “You should!”

(At this point, the older customer begins to dig through the carts with the younger customer, separating things and barking at me to scan items here and there. After a bit, she asks me the price of a box of crackers.)

Me: *checks the price on the register* “They’re [price].”

Older Customer: “No! It said something else! It was a different price!”

Me: “Well, ma’am, I can have someone check—”

Older Customer: “You don’t know the price?”

Me: “Not off the top of my head, no. I just started—”

Older Customer: “Well, I DO know the prices of everything in the store because I shop here, and that is [price]! GOD, you’re stupid! And what are you doing?! Double bag everything! You’re being an idiot on purpose, aren’t you?!”

Younger Customer: “Come on, mom. She’s trying her best.”

Older Customer: “No, she’s too stupid to work here. She shouldn’t be dealing with people if she’s this stupid!”

(She ended up calling me stupid several more times before leaving. A few months later, she went through another cashier’s line; her profession? A pastor.)