Hairy Situations Test Your Mettle

(I have very long hair, which I wear in a tight bun per regulation, and I am quite obviously female. A customer walks up to me, but my back is turned.)

Customer: “Sir?”

(I continue my work, thinking she’s talking to a coworker nearby.)

Customer: “Sir?”

(I still don’t pay attention, so the customer taps my shoulder.)

Customer: “Sir?”

(I turn around.)

Me: “How can I help you?”

(The customer is clearly surprised.)

Customer: “Sorry! Can you tell me where [item] is?”

(I point the customer in the right direction. Later on, I’m cleaning one of the registers. The same customer walks up to me.)

Customer: “Sorry about before. I really thought you were a guy.”

Me: “That’s okay.”

Customer: “You should really doing something about that hair. It makes you look too masculine.”

Me: “What do you mean?”

Customer: “You look like one of those metal heads.”

Me: “Since when do metal heads wear their hair in buns?”

Customer: “Never, but you still look like one!”