I’m a cashier at a college bookstore. A customer comes up to my till and chooses to purchase his items with a card.

Me: “Credit or debit?”

Customer: “Debit.”

I tell the computer it’s a debit card.

Me: “It’s going to ask you for your code, and then it’s going to ask if the amount is okay.”

He types on the pad. It doesn’t seem to be working; there is a problem with the PIN.

Me: “Hmm, is it not taking the PIN?”

I lean over to look at the PIN pad screen and see the problem. Although the numbers are naturally blanked out with dots, I can see that there are only three of them, instead of the standard four. I assume that he just didn’t hit one of the number keys hard enough and that the pad only registered three of them.

Me: “Oh, you only typed in three numbers.”

Customer: “Yeah, that’s the code, right? On the back of the card?”

I realize that he was trying to use the three-digit security code on the back of the card instead of his pin number.

Me: “Oh, no, the PIN. It’s a four-digit code; your bank would have given it to you?”

Customer: “Oh… I don’t remember that. Just run it as a credit.”

I’m assuming he was a college student.

Related:
PIN-Headed, Part 9
PIN-Headed, Part 8
PIN-Headed, Part 7

I am in a bookstore in the religious section looking for a particular translation of the Bible. Another customer is watching me, and when I pick up a translation, the other customer comes up and takes it out of my hands.

Other Customer: “Oh, you certainly don’t want that one.”

Me: *Taken aback* “And why not?”

Other Customer: “That’s not a real Bible.”

I am curious as to what she means.

Me: “And just what is a real Bible?”

Other Customer: “Only the King James Bible is the real Bible; after all, if it was good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me.”

Me: “…”

Customer: “Do you have that new book on JFK?”

Me: “Well, there are always books coming out about him. Several are published every year. One that came out this week is right behind you.”

The customer picks up the book.

Customer: “Oh! This is the one I was looking for. Thank you!”

I say goodbye and leave her to read on her own. She returns a minute later.

Customer: “Sorry, but I’m confused.”

Me: “Oh, is that not the JFK book you were looking for? I can look up to see what else has been published recently.”

Customer: “No, that’s okay. I know this is the one, but when I looked it up online it had a different cover, and it was more about his love life than his politics.”

Me: “Let me get this right. You are looking for a book with a different topic and cover. Are you sure that book your holding is the correct one?”

Customer: “I’m sure. Oh, well.”

She put the book back.

I work at a big chain bookstore. One morning, we come in to discover a large chunk of concrete has fallen through the ceiling in the business section. We cordon off the area, warning all customers — cue customers, “But I know what I need! Couldn’t you just run in there real quick?” — and at around midday a contractor comes in to take a look at it.

We’re told the area was stabilized and we shouldn’t have any other rocks falling, but word also gets around that he found up there an old form of insulation known to contain asbestos.

We’re all expecting an immediate store shut-down, but the general manager hems and haws and stalls, saying that he needs to be in touch with higher management to decide what to do. 

The next day, we’re back in as usual — now worried about getting cancer, rather than being knocked out by falling concrete. After a few hours, a call comes in over the walkies we all use to communicate:

“[General Manager], there’s a representative from OSHA on line two. OSHA, line two.”

The store is closed for several days.

A woman wanders into the store looking very out of it. She starts talking out loud even though there is no one close by to answer her. She wanders around the store for a bit before coming up to me holding a packet of scratch-and-sniff stickers.

Woman: “I have a question.”

Me: “Of course! What is it?”

Woman: “Where exactly do you scratch and sniff?”

Me: “Uh, well, you have to take the plastic packaging off first.”

The woman looks confused.

Me: “But then you just scratch the sticker.”

She attempts to scratch the sticker through the plastic and then holds it up to her nose.

Woman: “Hmm… I guess you have to take the plastic off first!”

Me: *Pause* “Yes.”