Not Very Forward Thinking

I’m in the break room waiting to clock in for work and talking with my manager to pass the time. At some point in our conversation, we hear a knock at the break room door, which is unusual because to get in, normally, you punch in a code that only employees know to gain access. Thinking it is a coworker with their hands full, I go over to open the door to instead see a customer in her early twenties standing there with a book in her hand.

Me: “Hi, can I help you?”

Customer: “Actually, I was hoping someone could check me out, but I couldn’t find anyone at the registers.”

This is weird because I saw my coworker at the front registers when I came in through the front.

Me: “Are you sure?”

Customer: “Yeah, I went to look but didn’t see anyone in the back or the desk.”

My manager and I both look at each other in confusion. At my store, we have a movie and music department with its own cash registers. We sometimes have someone scheduled there in case people are just buying music or movies. Then, we have our registers immediately at the front door where there is ALWAYS someone scheduled. My manager walks up to join me and the customer.

Manager: “Did you check over at the front registers? We always have someone there.”

Customer: *Confused expression* “Front registers…?”

Manager: “Let me lead you over there.”

She led the customer to where our front registers were, leaving me absolutely confused about how this young lady said she’d checked everywhere for someone to ring her out except for the very front of the store where the cashier even greets you when you enter!