Can’t Get Nicotine From A Teen

Cashier: “Hello, sir. What can I get for you today?”

Customer: “Do you always talk to your customers like that? How rude!”

Cashier: “Excuse me, sir. I’m sorry to have upset you. Was there something I can grab for you today?”

Customer: “Shut up. Just shut up! I just want [Cigarette Brand] and that is all. Can you do that?!”

(By this time, the cashier was turning his back away from the customer to search for the item. He hid his face from the rude man, and asked what the box looked like.)

Customer: “How dare you turn your back to me, boy! Hey, are you listening to me?”

Cashier: “Sorry, sir, I am looking for your cigarettes.”

Customer: “Well, hurry up, then! Jeez, don’t you know what they look like?”

Cashier: “Well, no, sir. I do not. I am afraid I do not smoke, so could you tell me a little more about the pro—”

Customer: “It’s the smallest box there! Hurry up, I’ve not got all day!! Typical of [Store], always hiring foolish, stupid kids on a department they have no knowledge of. Look, it’s grey, if that helps you at all. God d***, kid, hurry the h*** up!”

(I come over to assist our cashier. The customer is leering over the counter and the cashier is slightly going through a bit of a panicked frenzy.)

Me: “Sir, what seems to be the problem here?”

Customer: “Your dumb-a** associate doesn’t know what his smokes are and I am upset that you chose to hire him. Your foolish management and your stupid associates can’t do anything right! I am out of here!”

Me: “I am sorry to hear that, sir, but—”

(Before I can say another word, the customer storms out of the store, not looking back once. I quickly open up the gate to greet the cashier to assure him the customer is gone.)

Me: “Hey, hey now. No worries, the guy is gone. Are you okay?”

Cashier: “I think so…”

Me: “He was just angry because it’s a Monday. You’re all right.”

Cashier: “I suppose so.”

Me: “So, what happened?”

(The cashier then told me everything that happened, and I felt bad so I treated him to a coffee. But that was not the only thing bothering him.)

Me: “Well, what could possibly be wrong that you are a bit unaware of the kinds of cigarettes out here?”

Cashier: “It’s not so much that I don’t know all of them. I know some, but I never smoke. But it doesn’t help describing the color to me…”

Me: “Why is that?”

Cashier: “I’m colorblind.”