Pallets Of Indecency

I work for a discount food retailer. This seems to give people the impression that they can give us discounted humanity. I’m working on the freezer delivery. It comes on a pallet so I put it in the middle of the aisle, the same place that years of colleagues before me have done and hundreds and hundreds of customers have navigated with no issues.

Customer #1: “I don’t know why you don’t put this pallet to the side so there’s more room.”

Me: “Well, putting it in the middle allows room on either side. Plus, if it were to one side, people wouldn’t be able to get to the stuff behind it.”

Customer #2: “As opposed to now, when they can’t get to anything?”

I am looking at the space around the pallet that is currently blocked because he wants to complain.

Me: “Well, this is how I do it, and I work here. When you work here, you can park it where you want to.”

Customer #2: “What did you just say? Why are you speaking to me like that? Who the f*** do you think you are?!”

Me: “Who do I think I am? I am a person who doesn’t deserve to be spoken to like this.”

Customer #2: “Oh, right. Well, I don’t deserve to be spoken to like that. You’re giving it all that! Who are you?”

Me: “I’m not sure I follow. As far as I was concerned, we were having a conversation. Because you disagree with my answer, it doesn’t mean I’m being rude.”

Customer #2: “Oh, f*** off. I don’t even care!”

Me: “It seems like you do, but I honestly don’t.”

Then, he finished his shopping whilst huffing and puffing all around me and the many other customers who didn’t require input about my pallet or its location.

I’m literally over being treated like I’m nothing because I wear a uniform or sit behind a till. I am a person. I have a family beyond the shop, and I deserve to be treated decently.