Give This Weird Customer The Boot

(I work in a children’s shoe store in Beverly Hills. Serving the over-privileged offspring of the Los Angeles rich is about as much fun as you think it would be. But sometimes things take a turn for the creepy. A male customer comes in, wearing a raincoat. He has no child with him, and he is sweating, breathing hard, and wearing a creepy smile. Not wanting to discriminate against someone with a medical condition or something, I approach him.)

Customer: “I want a baby’s rubber rain boot.”

Me: “Okay.” *maybe the baby is at home?* “What size?”

Customer: “The smallest. As small as you have. I’ll buy the pair, but I only want one.”

(This gives me the shivers, quite frankly. But I’ve fielded weird requests before, and he is willing to pay for the pair.)

Me: “All right.”

(I disappear back into the stock room and bring him one baby’s rain boot. As I’m ringing him up, I ask:)

Me: “Do you mind me asking what it’s for? Has your child lost one of a pair?”

Customer: *looks up and gives me a creepy grin* “Oh, there is no child.”

(Then, perhaps realizing the impression he must have been making, follows up:)

Customer: “I make rain boots for dogs. It’s for a prototype.”

Me: “Oh, okay.”

(A few days later the creepster came back. He held the boot out to me, wanting to return it. No dice.)