Unfiltered Story #272482

I’m a cashier for a high end grocery store. On this night, I was closing with one other cashier and my manager. I’m twenty-five and female, and the other cashier is in her thirties. My manager and coworker are away on another closing errand when this couple comes through my line. They both look to be in their thirties. Right from the start, the woman does not look very happy.

For brevity, literally everything she does is ridiculed by her boyfriend. He constantly insults her and gripes at everything she does or says. I’m just scanning the groceries, not quite sure what to say or do other than that.

Eventually, he turned his attention on me. I should note that he was black and I’m white. All throughout, he kept calling me ‘white girl,’ rather than my name.

Boyfriend: I can’t believe you’re doing this. You’re supposed to be making it EASIER for her (referring to me). You’re supposed to put your shit like this!

*He proceeds to demonstrate how to do it ‘correctly.’

Boyfriend: So, tell me, white girl, have you worked here long?

Me: I mean, yeah. Five years.

Boyfriend: And do you have a boyfriend? He’s one lucky guy. I bet you know how to act, right, sweetheart? Not like this one. Just look at her. She’s been acting a fool all day.

*He reaches out and tries to grab my hand, but I pull it back.

Boyfriend: Hey! I was only joking! Calm down, white girl. So jumpy, damn.

Girlfriend: You should just leave her alone.

Boyfriend: You should mind your own damn business. Now pull the cart over and load the bags.

I watch as she wordlessly loads the bags I packed into their cart. I can hardly move. I don’t know what to say or do and no one other than him is around me at that moment. Before they’re about to leave, the boyfriend turns to me once more.

Boyfriend: Your boyfriend would like you better if you smiled. You damn women just don’t get what men want at all. Jeez, lighten up, white girl.

When my manager and coworker returned, my coworker asked me why I looked so petrified. When I told her, she said, ‘I thought something was up.’