Allergic To Bad Customers

Twice every year since I was eight, I get what I call a sinus attack when the seasons change from summer to fall and from winter to spring. Basically, my sinuses go crazy — teary eyes, super runny nose, and sore throat — for five days. I’ll admit that it can look really bad, but I’m not contagious — I’ve been to the doctor a couple of times — and I can’t afford to miss ten days of work each year. This attack happens to land at the height of cold season.

I am scanning a customer’s groceries, having to occasionally blow my nose.

Customer: “You’d better not get me sick.”

Me: “I won’t. I’m not contagious; it’s just my allergies.”

Customer: “If you do, I’m going to sue you.”

Me: “Okay.”

I am thinking, “Yeah, right. You’ll forget about me.”

I forget about her. A week later, the customer comes up to me. I don’t recognize her immediately; she wasn’t the only one who was worried about me making them sick.

Customer: “I got sick.”

Me: “I’m sorry.”

Customer: “I missed three days of work.”

Me: “Okay.”

Customer: “Well, aren’t you going to pay me? You have to pay me for the days I missed work because you got me sick.”

Me: “No?”

Customer: “Well, I’m going to sue you! You made me miss work because you got me sick!”

Me: *Faking calm* “You do what you have to do.”

Customer: “You have to pay me.”

Me: “No.”

She walked away in a huff and I proceeded to freak out and ask my coworkers about what would happen to me. Of course, my coworkers pointed out that there would be no way she could prove I made her sick and that she could have gotten sick from touching the shopping carts, etc.

Obviously, I never heard from her again, but seriously, what did she think she was going to be able to get from a retail worker? And I wasn’t contagious!