Unfiltered Story #227597

I’m about a month into my first job ever, cashiering for a clothing store that is known for it’s store credit card and the special discounts card holders get. Employees are required to give a short pitch for the card to every customer as they go through the line. We hate doing it, but our performance is based in part on how many cards we “sell.”
I have just pitched the card to a customer who has decided she wants to apply for a card while I finish ringing up her items. She has a little trouble reading the little computer pad, so I’m helping her along.
Me: “Now it’s asking for your social security number.”
The customer behind her yells “you’re not allowed to ask her that question!”
Me: “It’s part of the card application.”
Customer #2: “I don’t care, that’s illegal and you can’t ask her that question!”
Meanwhile, customer #1 is still quietly filling out the application.
Me: “If she wants to be immediately approved for the card, she has to fill out the application.”
Customer #2 starts losing it, screaming at me about how illegal this all is, and reaches across the desk to try and grab me by the shirt. Her screaming attracts a manager. Customer #2 tries to grab me again. Customer #1 leaves her items at the desk and runs out of the door.
Manager: “Hey, you can’t treat my employees like that lady, get out now. Or I’ll call the police!”
Customer #2 is now cussing at him, me and anyone in the area. Manager escorts her from the building, while radioing for back up from other managers and repeating his promise to call the cops. Suddenly, customer #2 runs out the door and out to her car, driving away with tires squealing.
I was crying and shaking, so the manager let me take a long break while I composed myself and came back to work. Having back up that day gave me more confidence the next time a customer got in my face, even though in later jobs I didn’t always have manager support.