A Sudden Rush Of Anger

(I’m emptying my cart of my groceries before I place the cart back in the stiles when I notice an elderly woman beside me nearly finished with her cart.)

Me: “Ma’am, did you want me to take your cart when I return mine?”

Woman: “Oh, that would be nice! Thank you. Just let me get the last of my things out first.”

(As there are only two twelve-packs of Coke, I pull both out to offer her one at a time. She suddenly gets angry and yanks them out of my hands.)

Woman: “I said I have it!”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am. I wasn’t trying to be rude. I was trying to help you empty the cart so you could go along your day.”

Woman: “You were trying to rush me along. I’m not slow.”

Me: “I never said you were! Again, I’m sorry. I hope you have a nice day.”

(She grumbles under her breath as she climbs in the car. She waits until I have placed both carts in the stile, then yells out at me “Have a nice day, b****” and drives off.)

Other Customer: “Wow, what did you do?”

Me: “Uh, I offered to put her cart up. I guess she thought I was rushing her.”

Other Customer: *laughs* “If you help me put my cart up, I promise I won’t call you a b****.”