Whiney Wine

(I work in a supermarket with a reputation for having an upper middle-class customer base. It is a very, very busy Saturday and I’m trying to run people through as quickly as possible. Note I’m underage and can’t sell alcohol without the permission of a supervisor.)

Me: “I’ll just page someone of age to ring the wine through. Is it okay for me to do everything else first?”

Customer: “Whatever, just get on with it.”

(I start ringing everything else through, watching out for my supervisors. All of them are busy dealing with other customers and situations.)

Customer: “Do the wine now.”

Me: “Madam, I can scan it, but I can’t allow you to pay for it until it’s been run through by my supervisor.”

Customer: “Why the h*** not? Just run it through!”

Me: “I’m seventeen, madam. It’s against the law for me to buy or sell alcohol and I don’t have the option to bypass the supervisor authorization even if I wanted to.”

Customer: “So you don’t want to?”

Me: “I’m sorry?”

Customer: “You don’t want to get someone to do it, do you?”

Me: “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand–”

(Before I know it, the woman has turned around and stormed up to another employee, who isn’t from the section and is also underage.)

Customer: “There you are! I’ve been waiting forever for someone to do this alcohol because that girl won’t do it! Now, get over here and do it!”

Coworker: “Madam, I’m not from this section. I’m just collecting trolleys. I can’t process your alcohol.”

(The customer storms around the checkouts hunting for someone else, as I sit mortified at my till. Eventually, she finds one of the supervisors. After a barrage of anger, her alcohol is processed.)