Expressing Herself At The Express Lane

I work at an express service counter. The desk has a four-foot-tall red sign hanging over it that says, “10 items or less.”

A woman with a stacked trolley comes up. She asks for some cigarettes. While my back is turned, she starts unloading her shopping onto my counter.

Me: “Sorry, you have too many items for this counter. I can serve you your cigarettes, and the main checkout is just behind you.”

Customer: “But I queued up!”

Me: “I understand, but this counter is ten items or less.”

I point to the sign and then start putting the few items on the counter back into the trolley.

Customer: “Well, what if I do separate transactions? I can do some here and some over there!”

Me: “Sorry, that would take too long, and I have other people waiting.”

Customer: *Raising her voice* “Just let me pay! Why are you being so f****** difficult?!”

At this point, the security guard notices that I’m having problems and comes over. I ask him to show her where she can pay for her shopping.

Customer: “I can’t believe you called the guard on me! I want your manager, now!”

The guard took her trolley over to the checkout and radioed for the supervisor. She proceeded to scream at him for ten minutes, during which I was accused of being racist. Both the customer and I are white.