An Escalating Charged Situation

A middle-aged-looking man in a business suit comes into the store.

Customer: “Do you have any mini USB chargers?”

Me: “I’m not sure; let me check.”

Customer: “Not to buy! My phone just needs to charge, and I need my GPS to get home.”

Me: *Feeling sympathetic* “Of course. Let me see if one of these chargers will work with it.”

I check the various ones we have laying around to test things people want to sell.

Me: “No, it doesn’t look like it.”

Customer: “I found what I need!”

He points to tablet displays.

Customer: “Is it all right if I just borrow one of these?”

Me: *Pause* “I guess so.”

Customer: “Okay! I’ll just be back, then. I need to get some food!”

Me: “Sir! Wait, you can’t leave your phone here.”

Customer: “But I’m just going next door.”

Me: “Sir, that doesn’t matter. We’re not allowed to have you leave it here. You can stay in the store and let it charge, but you can’t leave it. If somebody were to take it while you were gone, it would be a problem. Besides, it’s against policy; I could get in trouble.”

Customer: “Oh, okay.”

The customer wanders around the store for a bit.

Customer: “Okay, well, if somebody takes it, that’s just what happens. I’ll be back.”

Me: “Sir, please, you can’t leave that here! If something happens, I could get fired!”

Customer: “Oh… Okay.”

The customer wanders around some more.

Me: “You could always go get your food and then come back and charge it and eat here?”

Customer: “No, just a few more minutes; it’ll be fine.”

The customer moves closer to the door.

Me: “I’m really sorry. It’s just that I could get fired; that’s why I just can’t let you leave it.”

I’ve had to stop what I’m doing to try to keep an eye on his phone for him and to make sure he doesn’t leave, which is hard because there’s a lot of stuff in the way and I can’t just abandon my current work.

Customer: “Well, thanks!” *Leaves*

A little while passes.

Me: “Hey, [Coworker], did that old guy leave his phone, or did he actually take it with him?”

Coworker: “Well, I don’t see anything. Either he left with it or it’s not our problem anymore.”