A Textbook Case Of Amazon Fever

I work at a university textbook store. Our return policy on textbooks is super strict; we take returns on books for the first week of class only. The second Tuesday of class, no more, with the exception of a student dropping a class or exchanging a wrong book for the correct one.

A student comes in over a month after classes have started and slams a textbook on the counter.

Student: “I want to return this.”

Me: “Have you dropped the class, or is it the wrong book?”

Student: “No and no.”

Me: “Our return policy means that you can’t return it.”

Student: “But I got a cheaper copy online!”

Me: “That’s the exact reason why we have our return policy in place.”

Student: “But a week isn’t enough time to get books in from Amazon!”

Me: “We’re not a library. It’s not our responsibility to lend you books.”

Student: “You will do a return!”

Me: “No.”

Student: “You will be receiving a call from my mother.”

Me: “Best call her immediately then, so that she can explain why her nineteen-year-old son needs her to fight his battles.”

We never got the call.