Asking For IDs Shouldn’t Be Foreign To Him

(I work in a popular west coast liquor store chain, and I am working at the main register. In my state, we must ID the entire group if they all appear under 40, with the exception of it being a parent and child. A couple comes up to the register.)

Me: “Just this for you today?”

Female Customer: “Yes.”

Me: “Okay. May I see your IDs, please?”

(She hands me hers without question. I check it, scan it, and hand it back.)

Me: “Sir, may I see yours?”

Male Customer: “I’m not buying anything; you don’t need to see my ID.”

Me: “Our state laws require that I card everyone in the group.”

Male Customer: “That’s bulls**t! Fine! I’m not with her!”

Me: “Doesn’t work that way, sir. I’ve seen you with her, so I know you’re with her.”

Male Customer: “Whatever! Fine! I’ll buy this [Chocolate Bar], separate from her.”

Me: “Sir, now my company policy requires me to ID you. You must be 21 to purchase anything in here.”

Male Customer: “F***! Fine! Here!”

(He finally hands me his ID, and I immediately cringe. It’s a foreign ID. We can accept these, but since most of them don’t scan, like his, we must call over a manager to check the ID. I see my manager less than 20 feet from me, so this won’t take long.)

Me: “All right, sir I am allowed to accept this; however, I just have to call over my manager to check it. It won’t—”

Male Customer: “Just give it back to me, you f***! We’ll buy it somewhere else!”

(They walk out without buying anything.)

Me: *to the next customer in line* “He was nice.”