At a book sale, I pick up a geography textbook from the 1800s.
Me: “Can you believe what this says? ‘The white race is morally and intellectually superior to all others.’”
Father: “Absolutely ridiculous.” *Pause* “If anything, it would be the Asians.”
So close, Dad. So close.
I work at a chain bookstore in New Zealand and have an insanely good ability to find things with very little information. A guy comes in with his friend and I ask them if they need some help.
Customer: “I’m looking for a cookbook by an Australian author that’s around $150.”
Customer’s Friend: “Dude, you have not given her enough information. She will never find it.”
Me: “I accept that challenge.”
Less than thirty seconds later:
Me: “Is it The Cook’s Companion by Stephanie Alexander?”
Customer: “Yes.”
Me: “We don’t have it, sorry. It’s not so easy to get, but it is available on our website; it comes from overseas.”
Customer’s Friend: “S***, you’re good.”
Customer: “Never doubt these people, man.”
During the holiday season, the store gets very busy and our hours get slightly longer to compensate. One day, I have a morning shift and I just can’t seem to wake up fully. I’ve already gotten some coffee from our coffee shop, but it’s not doing the trick.
Suddenly, a customer appears at the checkout and asks which one of us is the most tired and all my coworkers point to me. She hands me a cup from an outside café, claiming to not want it anymore even though she hasn’t even drunk out of it yet.
She also hands me some packets of sugar and then leaves. It’s possible her story was true, but I like to believe that she wanted to make someone’s day better.
Thank you, random customer. The coffee was delicious.
This story is part of our Feel Good roundup for March 2021!
Read the next Feel Good roundup for March 2021 story!
Read the Feel Good roundup for March 2021!
I have arrived at work and I’m starting the opening procedures. The shop door is locked, and there is a large CLOSED sign right in the middle of it, at eye level; it also lists our opening times. A man stops outside, looks at the door, visibly reads the sign, and then looks through the glass at me. Sure enough, as I pass close to the door, he knocks. I point at the closed sign, smile, and carry on working. He knocks again, louder, so I go and unlock the door and open it a crack.
Me: “Sorry, we’re not open yet.”
Man: “Your sign says, ‘Closed.’”
Me: “Yes, we’re not open yet.”
Man: “Your sign says you open at 9:00.”
Me: “Yes.”
Man: “That’s in ten minutes.”
Me: “Yes.”
Man: “Should I come back in ten minutes?”
Me: “Yes.”
Man: “Okay.”
And he wandered off, making me wonder why we bother with the sign at all.
We do not sell normal textbooks at our store; however, we do sell nursing and some law textbooks. Because of the high price and the fact that each of the textbooks comes with a digital download and CD, all of these are shrink-wrapped. We tell each customer when they purchase these that they cannot return them unless they are unopened, and it has to be within seven business days — seven days shorter than our normal return policy.
A customer comes up to the front with a return and immediately apologizes, stating that this will be the hardest return that I have to do today. I’m bracing myself for the worst kind of return — a book damaged or ripped — and she pulls out one of the nursing textbooks we sell.
It’s still in its packaging, with the receipt taped to the front of the shrinkwrap.
I look up to her and ask my standard questions.
Me: “Was anything wrong with it?”
Customer: “No, I just realized that I’m not cut out for nursing and wanted to return it. I know I’m a bit late with the receipt, so if you can only give me partial credit or nothing at all, that’s fine.”
I quickly scan the receipt.
Me: “You bought this three days ago? The packaging is still unopened. Do you have the card you paid with it on you by chance?”
Customer: “Yes, actually; I was planning on buying some other books.”
Me: “Okay, well, this all looks in order, so if you insert your card, you’ll be getting $156.88 back on your card, but since it’s the weekend, it won’t go back on until Tuesday.”
Customer: “Wait, seriously?”
Me: “Yes, ma’am. You are within the return policy, so you’ll be getting the full amount back.”
Customer: *Nearly in tears* “I didn’t expect that at all! I bought a textbook from the campus, and even though it was unopened, they told me I could only get $30 back. Thank you! You just made my day!”
Me: “Well, I’m glad I was able to help! You are one of the easiest returns I’ve done in a while, so if you could sign this, you can get on your way!”
I hand her a return receipt that comes with a coupon for a BOGO cookie over in our café.
Customer: “What kind of cookie do you like?”
Me: “I think the chocolate chunk is the best, but my coworkers usually say the peanut butter one.”
Customer: “Okay, thank you.”
Ten minutes later, she comes up to me at the register and hands me one of our chocolate chunk cookies.
Customer: “Thank you so much again! I really appreciate it! This is for you!”
Me: “Thank you so much! I didn’t expect that!”
It made my day to see someone who was so sweet get exactly what she deserved!
Related:
That’s The Way The Cookie Gloriously Crumbles
This story is part of our Feel Good roundup for March 2021!
Read the next Feel Good roundup for March 2021 story!
Read the Feel Good roundup for March 2021!
