Breast You Just Walk Away

(A new, high school aged, male employee, eager to help out a customer, sees me gathering stray carts from around the store. Behind him stands a blonde young lady, but I don’t really look at her. They are both standing next to the area where the nursing supplies are.)

Coworker: “Do you know where the breastfeed boxes are?”

Me: “Breastfeed boxes?”

Coworker: “Yes, she needs to find the breastfeed boxes.”

(I’m very confused. I’m also a guy, just out of high school at the time. I don’t know too much about nursing supplies, but I am certain that I’ve never heard of such a thing. I also can’t help but wonder why she’s asked a young man about this, since the average teenage boy wouldn’t be knowledgeable on the subject either. So many different things are flashing through my mind trying to figure out how boxes would relate to breastfeeding.)

Me: “I’m not sure what that is. I mean, I know we have breast pumps; they come in boxes… Privacy blankets… We have bottles, but those aren’t box like at all…” *I make eye contact with the customer* “What exactly is it that you’re looking for?

Customer: “Recipe boxes.”

Me: *realizes my coworker has quite spectacularly misheard what she’d said* “RECIPE boxes! Are you looking for a product that has pre-made recipes on cards?”

Customer: *looking confused, and slightly disturbed* “A box with a lid where I can place recipe cards in. You know, cards I’ve written up or gotten from—”

(Her face lights up as she finally has realized what the other employee had heard. She turns her cart around and starts making her way towards housewares.)

Customer: “It’s oookay! I’ll find it myself!”

Me: *holding back laughter* “Are you sure you don’t want help? They might be in—”

Customer: “Oh, nope! I’m fine!” *shaking her head, holds her hand up in the air in an over exaggerated dismissive gesture* “I’ve got it from here!”

(I glanced at my coworker, who was so embarrassed that he was blushing a deep, deep red. I couldn’t think of anything to say, so I continue gathering stray carts, but choose to avoid the housewares section.)