Unfiltered Story #257085

(I’m in a wheelchair and have a service dog. I do get the usual problem of people trying to pet my dog, but most back off when I tell them to stop. I go to a store to pick up a few things, and a guy with his family sees my service dog.)
Customer: Look, a doggy!
(I give the guy a look to try to deter him, but he comes over with a very young child.)
Customer: Do you wanna pet them?
(I have my dog move to my other side. The man glares at me and also moves.)
Me: Sir, I’d appreciate if you didn’t touch my SERVICE dog.
Customer: Oh, hush. It’s okay!
Me: It’s not. He’s working, and you distracting him could endanger me.
Customer: He’s just a dog! You’re being rude.
(I take a deep breath and look at him.)
Me: Sir, if you knowingly distract my dog, who I have already told you is working, you are responsible for any injury I sustain if he cannot alert me. And as he is considered medical equipment while working, petting him at all is considered assault. I have asked you not to pet him.
Customer: Well, fine! Be like that!
(He leaves. I continue browsing, thinking it’s over. About ten minutes later, he RUNS over, tips me out of my wheelchair, and starts yelling.)
Customer: F***ing b**** telling me what to do in front of my kids! I’ll f***ing do what I want! I’ll beat your a** so hard you won’t be able to leave the house!
(He gets close, looking like he’s going to hurt me. Suddenly, two employees pull him back. A third helps me back into my wheelchair and asks if I’m injured. I’m too scared to answer, as the man’s still yelling threats. Store security drags him off, but it still takes a few minutes for me to calm down enough to speak.)
Employee: I’m so sorry about that, ma’am. We’ve called the police to arrest him.
Security: Would you like to get checked at our [in-store clinic]? We’ll cover any costs.
Me: I should be okay. Thank you, he came out of nowhere.
(The man was arrested, and the manager gave me a gift card on top of a huge apology.)