How DARE You Ask The Customer To Place One Foot In Front Of The Other In An Ambulatory Fashion?!

I’m a cashier at a department store. I’m also a college student, so I’m just working there to help pay for expenses. I’ve been working there for about a month at this point. Relevant to the story is that I am the only person in my (very busy) section and am not supposed to leave my register unattended when I have customers.

Enter the customer. It seems like a normal transaction until I can’t scan one of her items.

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry, it looks like you picked one without a barcode. Do you know where it is in the store, and could you grab one that does have a barcode so I can get you rung up?”

Customer: “What?! Are you seriously asking me to go get a different item?”

Me: “Uh… Yes, ma’am. I can’t sell you this without a barcode—”

Customer: “Then why can’t you go get it?”

Me: *Thinking.* “Because I don’t know where the h*** it came from?” *Out loud.* “I’m not supposed to leave my register unattended, ma’am.”

Customer: *Huffs.* “And that’s my problem?”

Soooooo… I walked halfway across the store, found the item, brought it back, rung her up, and then she decided to give me a parting shot. She was clearly happy with herself.

Customer: “Thank you for your patience!”