I Refuse To Be Married To THAT Customer

My husband and I both worked retail jobs when we were younger, so we have a lot of sympathy and understanding when it’s obvious folks are just overwhelmed, new hires, or anything like that.

Well, at least I thought we both did.

The store we’re currently in has a total of four registers. At the moment, two are being manned and there’s a long line waiting. One register is empty, and one is being obviously used for training, as there’s a big sign on the belt that says, “TRAINING,” with a product rack blocking the aisle, there’s a manager standing over the person at the register, and that person is looking over a book.

Husband: “Man, this is a long line.”

Me: “Yeah, but it’s our fault for coming during rush hour.”

Husband: “They could really open up another register.”

Me: “It’d be nice, but we’re almost up to the front, anyway; there are only like two people ahead of us.”

My husband turns around, stares at the manager and trainee, and then reaches up and SNAPS HIS FINGERS and calls for help. I glare at him and raise my voice.

Me: “Did you seriously just snap your f****** fingers at them?!”

Husband: “They’re just standing there!”

Me: “She is getting trained! That register is closed! You know better than this. Get out and go wait in the car!”

Husband: “But—”

Me: “No buts. You never act like this. I don’t know what’s wrong with you right now but I’m not dealing with it. Go! I’ll see you in a few minutes!”

He finally did trudge off. It left everyone else kind of staring at me, and I apologized for the scene. And no, I didn’t suddenly get handed a ton of coupons or the double-employee-discount or anything like that, but the manager did thank me for standing up for them.

I got outside and my husband was indeed sitting in the car but looking unwell. We figured out that his blood sugar was going wonky, and apparently, the first symptom for him is getting extra snappy… no pun intended. And yes, since then, I have more than once pulled the “you’re not you when you’re hungry” line when he gets that way!