No ID, No Idea, Part 48

To buy alcohol at the alcohol monopoly (a chain of state-owned liquor stores in Sweden), you need to be able to provide a valid ID that proves you’re at least twenty years old. The cashiers don’t card everyone, but if they think the customer might be under thirty, they ask for ID just to be safe. There are signs in every store informing customers of this.

To avoid any confusion: it doesn’t matter if you’re twenty-five or eighty, if the cashier asks for ID and you can’t provide one, you don’t get your booze, regardless of age or appearance. It’s unusual for them to ask for ID when you look like you’re over a certain age, but sometimes they have information drives where they ask everyone, so I’ve learned to always have my ID with me when I want to buy alcohol.

I stop by the alcohol monopoly on my way home from work to buy a bottle of wine. I end up waiting in line behind a customer who looks to be in her late twenties or early thirties, but I can’t tell for sure, and it’s obvious the cashier can’t, either, because she asks:

Cashier: “May I see your ID, please?”

Customer: “What? No, I don’t have ID. I’m thirty-five.”

Cashier: “I need to see ID to verify that.”

Customer: “I don’t have ID. You have to see that I’m over twenty! I have an eighteen-year-old daughter, for God’s sake.”

Cashier: “I’m sorry, but I can’t sell to you. If you want to go and get your ID, I’ll hold your purchases for you.”

Customer: “Didn’t you hear what I said? I don’t have ID! It expired! I’m thirty-five! I have an eighteen-year-old daughter!”

Cashier: “I don’t care how old your daughter is. If you can’t show me a valid ID, I can’t sell to you.”

Customer: “Can’t you see I’m older than twenty? Am I supposed to take that as a compliment?”

Cashier: “You may take it however you wish, but it’s very difficult to tell someone’s age from looks alone. That’s why we ask for ID.”

Customer: “Well, I don’t have ID, and I’m thirty-five! I’m the customer here and you’re being very rude!”

Cashier: “If you don’t have ID, I can’t sell to you. I’m sorry. Next, please.”

The cashier takes the customer’s items aside to be put back while the customer stays in the checkout area ranting about how rude the cashier is. I walk up and put my bottle of wine on the conveyor belt. I’m in my forties and I look it, so the cashier initially doesn’t ask me for ID.

Customer: “You need to card her! You carded me; why won’t you card her? This is discrimination! I bet she doesn’t have any ID, either!”

Cashier: *To me* “Sorry for the wait. Do you happen to have your ID?”

Me: “Yes, I do, since I was planning to buy wine today. Here it is.”

Cashier: “Thank you. That seems to be in order. Have a good day.”

Me: “You, too.”

I take my wine and leave, while the customer who could not provide valid ID stays in the lobby whining to anyone who might want to listen about how rude the cashier is and how she is being discriminated against. I stop by the ice cream store next door to have a treat, and while I’m sitting there, I notice the customer leaving the store in a huff, walking up to a car, and driving off.

I finish my ice cream and pop back into the liquor store.

Me: “Hi, I don’t know if you noticed, but the lady from before who didn’t have valid ID just got into a car and drove away. She might not have a valid driver’s licence.”

Cashier: “Yes, we know. We already called the police. She does this all the time.”

Related:
No ID, No Idea, Part 47
No ID, No Idea, Part 46
No ID, No Idea, Part 45
No ID, No Idea, Part 44
No ID, No Idea, Part 43