Unfiltered Story #56809

(I’m at an airport and I head over to buy a pack of cigarettes from a store. By then I know the drill and since I look young I’ve got my passport ready.)

Me: [Brand of cigarettes] please. Thanks.

Employee: Okay, can I see your ID?

*I give him my passport and he starts looking at me funny.

Employee: I can’t sell you these. Yo have to be over 25.

*The law in the UK states that you have to be 18 or older in over to buy them, at least to my knowledge, but employees are normally required to ask for ID if anyone looks like they’re under 25. As such, there are signs pretty much everywhere stating this.*

Me: *looking at him sceptically* Sir, I’m over 18, so I should be able to buy these.

Employee: No, that’s against the law. See? *points at the ‘under 25?’ sign.

Me: Actually that means you’re required to ask for my ID if I look under 25. As you can see from my passport, I’m 22.

*He still refuses to sell me the cigarettes and I would have walked away but there were no other shops open at that time so I had nowhere else to go. I ask to see the manager.*

Manager: What seems to be the problem? *He asks me, but before I can say anything the cashier jumps in*

Employee: She’s trying to illegally purchase cigarettes. *glares*

Me: *A bit taken aback* Sir, could you verify that I am over 18 so I can buy some cigarettes? *I hand him my passport*

Manager: Yes, you are.

*The manager politely informed the employee that he can sell me the cigarettes, and I was very happy that it was too early for a line to form in the small shop. I found it very strange since I’m not even a UK citizen and knew the law whereas the employee didn’t. I felt bad for any travellers that had been turned away because of him until then, and I would guess there would have been many if they weren’t aware of this.*