Beautifully Console-ing

I’m working alone at a popular video game store. I’ve just found out that both the assistant manager and store manager have quit. With that news, plus some other events, I’ve had a pretty rough day. A couple walks in with a console in a bag.

Guy #1: “Hey, we found this [Console] while cleaning our apartment and wanted to see what we could get for it. There are some games in there, as well.”

Me: “I can definitely check and see what we can give you! It’ll just take a minute; you’re free to look around while I pull everything up.”

The couple looks at some games. While checking the system, I realize that we can’t take the console, as it’s just been removed from our system as a trade-in. I brace myself for a conflict and call the couple back over.

Me: “So, good news and bad news. The bad news is that we won’t be able to take the [Console] in since we aren’t accepting them for trade right now. The good news is that we can take most of the games, and you can get [amount] in store credit or [amount] in cash!”

The couple whispers to each other quickly, and then they look back at me.

Guy #2: “We’ll take the store credit. Are we able to just give you the console? Like, as a gift?”

If we can’t take something in as a trade, typically older game titles, we’re allowed to take them as personal gifts.

Me: “Wait, are you sure? There’s a local game store just down the street that should be able to take it in for trade.”

Guy #1: “We don’t really need the cash, and we don’t want the hassle of going somewhere else right now.”

I’m nearly in tears at this point. This is actually a console I’ve been looking at getting but don’t have the money to get.

Me: “Oh, my God! You don’t know how much this means to me!”

I completed the trade for them, and they wished me luck with the rest of my day. I still have the console, and I still think about the couple from time to time.