Green Versus Blue

(I have stopped at a popular fabric store on my way home from work during the holiday season. I’m picking up supplies for my boss and me to put together stockings for our coworkers.)

Me: *muttering to myself* “Red or black? Hmm…”

(A woman approaches me.)

Woman: “Excuse me? Miss? Can you show me where [sewing materials] are?”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I don’t work here.”

Woman: “Of course you do; you’re in uniform.”

Me: “I’m sorry, but I work in security and this is my site’s uniform. I don’t work for [Fabric Store].”

(I point at the company name on my button-down shirt and motion to my black slacks.)

Me: “They wear green aprons and jeans.”

Woman: “Nonsense. If you’re in work clothes, you work here.”

(This goes back and forth several more times, with me getting more frustrated because I want to leave and she won’t let me.)

Me: “Ma’am, I do not know what to tell you! I don’t work here! Besides, I don’t even shop here that much, so I couldn’t even help you as a fellow customer!”

Woman: “Don’t take that tone with me! I know you work here, so you need to do your job! Stop being lazy and telling me you don’t work here! I see your lanyard around your neck, and a lanyard means you work here!”

(A lightbulb goes off in my head and I realize that I’ve left my lanyard with my badge and licenses on in my haste.)

Me: “Oh, you mean this lanyard?”

(I grab and yank on it, causing the plastic safety breakaway to come apart. I shove the cards on it into my back pocket and leave the ends to hang free.)

Me: “There. Now that I’m not wearing it anymore. I don’t work here.”

Woman: “You are so rude!”

(I reach out and grab what I need, my patience gone.) 

Me: “Call me rude all you want, but maybe if you went and found someone who actually works here instead of wasting both of our time, you could have been shown what you’re looking for. Go find someone in a green apron and ask them.”

(I got past her and went to the registers. On my way out, I saw a manager talking to her and heard him say, “Ma’am, we don’t have blue uniform shirts; we have green aprons. Did you harass a customer?”)