This Customer Lacks Polish

(I work in a shoe store. A customer hands me a sale shoe from the shelf and asks for the other one to it. I find it in the stock room and notice it is a different colour to the one in the box. Because it is the last one of an out-of-stock shoe, I decide to try and fix it. I take it back out and the following ensues.)

Me: “I noticed the shoe from the shelf is a different colour, but because it’s an oil based leather, I may be able to bring back the colour with some restorer cream we have. If that doesn’t work, I’ll talk to the manager about a price reduction, if you still want it.”

Customer: “Okay.”

(I then spend the next fifteen minutes polishing the shoe and manage to, quite easily, make it match the other shoe.)

Me: “There we go.”

Customer: “How much is that restorer?”

Me: *thinking he wants one to take for when the shoe fades from use* “£4.”

Customer: “I’ll take that.”

(I reach for a fresh tube, since I used the shop stock.)

Customer: “Not a new one. That one. For free.” *points to the used tube*

Me: *knowing that is a ridiculous thing to ask, since I just resolved the issue with the shoes* “One moment; I have to approve any discounts on shoe care products with my manager.”

(I go around to the office where my manager is. She is preparing to leave, as her shift has ended. I explain what I have already done and what the customer is asking.)

Manager: “No. He can have the shoes or leave them.”

(I go back to where the customer is waiting.)

Me: “We won’t do a discount on shoe care. You can take the shoes or not.”

Customer: “Okay, give me a discount on them, then.”

Me: “One moment.”

(My manager is on her way past the till, as she is leaving. I know she won’t discount them further as, with my polishing, there is now no fault with the shoes.)

Me: “[Manager].”

Manager: “I won’t reduce them further, as she has already fixed the problem. Take them or leave them.” *leaves the store*

Customer: “Okay. I’ll just take the shoes, then.” *whispering* “Still think I should get that stuff for free.”

(He then proceeded to leave with three pairs of shoes, all the while talking about how I wasted fifteen minutes of his life polishing the shoes.)