No Paws For Thought, Part 3

(I’m a customer at a big-box superstore. I have an invisible disability. I have just gotten a small service dog to help me with it. We don’t have a ‘service dog’ vest for him yet. He’s currently sitting quietly in the child seat of a grocery cart, well out of reach of any of the store’s products. I’m waiting to check out. A customer right in front of me in line turns to me.)

Customer: “They let you have a dog in here? That’s not allowed.”

Me: “They don’t seem to mind as long as I keep him up and away from food. Plus, he’s a service dog.”

Customer: “You can’t have dogs where’s there’s food. I know; I have a dog. I’d like to bring him with me but I can’t. You can only have service dogs inside.”

Me: “He is a service dog.”

Customer: *to cashier* “Can you believe that some people bring their dogs everywhere? You can only have service dogs inside.”

Me: *louder* “He IS a service dog.”

Customer: *still talking to cashier “People need to learn you can’t just bring your dog anywhere you want. Only service dogs are allowed.”

(I give up and talk to the cashier.)

Me: “He IS a service dog. I have the papers for him and everything.”

(The customer ignores me. She finishes checking out and walks off, still muttering.)

Customer: “Only service dogs are allowed inside.”

Cashier: “What the heck was her problem? Some people need to spend some time living in real society like we do and figure out how things work.”

Older Couple Behind Us In Line: “D*** right!”

(We proceed to finish checking out. We spend five minutes laughing with the older couple behind us and telling jokes about entitled people. Thanks for making our day, grouchy customer!)