Assault And Battery Included

(I am working retail at a catalog showroom. A customer approaches me with a box for a board game. Being a catalog showroom, the box is for display only, and we have to pull one from the warehouse in the back.)

Customer: “I need this game for my kid.”

Me: “Okay, I’ll ring it up and get you one from the back. This is just a display box, and it’s empty.”

Customer: “I want this one.”

Me: “You want an empty box?”

Customer: “No, I want this game.”

(I just start ringing him up, while trying to smile. I then find out we are out of stock.)

Me: “Sir, unfortunately, this game is out of stock. We should have it back on Tuesday with our next truck delivery.”

Customer: “But it was on display.”

Me: “Sir, I understand, but I can’t sell you an empty box. If you’d like, I can check one of our other stores in the area.”

Customer: “F*** it!”

(He slams the box down on my hand, which is on top of some open—and sharp—ring binders. All four fingers get slammed into the rings, and start bleeding at the knuckles profusely. The customer leaves, and then I leave the register. My manager comes up to me in the back.)

Manager: “You handled that a lot better than I would have.”

(I get the rest of the day off, and decide to do some shopping in the mall. I spot my angry customer at the food court. I go up to the local security, and let him know what had transpired at the store. The security guard goes over to the customer, and has a discussion with him. I just sit at another table, watching the free entertainment as the customer starts to shake like a leaf, as my security friend explains what assault and battery is.)