Putting Them In A Dark (Fruit Cake) Mood

(I work in a large department store. It is it December 26th and in addition to being very busy, we’ve also had three employees call off, so I’ve been helping with the rush in the candy department. The following exchange happens after a customer asks me about a product she asked on Christmas Eve to be held for her.)

Customer: *quietly spoken in an otherwise loud setting, making it somewhat difficult to hear but I am able to roughly make out what she’s saying* “I was here on Christmas Eve and asked someone to hold something for me and he said he would. I had to get the money and said I would be coming back for it.”

Me: “Okay, what did you ask him to hold?”

Customer: “It’s a dark fruit cake; it’s for my friend and we like the dark fruit cake so it doesn’t matter if it’s on sale or not or if it’s a full or half fruit cake. We like the dark fruit cake and he said he’d hold for me; I just had to get the cash and said I would be coming back.”

Me: *after I am finally able to say something after the unnecessary information* “Okay, well, let me go look around at the counters and see if we have it anywhere for you.” *after I get back from checking all the counters* “I’m afraid it’s not any of the counters; let me take to you where the fruit cakes are located.”

(I take the customer to the table where the remaining fruit cakes are located. Being holiday product, it’s 75% off and many people have bought the discounted product so there’s not much left. They are all light fruit cake boxes. The customer sees this and immediately starts yelling at me.)

Customer: “I DON’T LIKE THE LIGHT FRUIT CAKE! I LIKE THE DARK FRUIT CAKE! I WANT THE DARK FRUIT CAKE! HE SAID HE’D HOLD IT! I SAID I JUST HAD TO GET THE CASH AND I’D BE BACK AND HE SAID HE’D HOLD IT! GO TO H***!”

(At this point, my (seasonal) coworker comes over and asks me if she’d like me to help out and look behind the counter as well to which I nod yes.)

Me: *to customer* “I’m very sorry that this happened, ma’am.”

(My coworker goes to look and the customer follows her. I’m still by the fruit cake table. As the customer walks away, another customer, who heard the whole thing, comes up to me.)

Nice Customer: “Are you okay?”

Me: “Yes, thank you.I’ve had worse.”

(After the nice customer walks away, I use the phone so I can report the original customer to security off the premises. I’m about to make the phone call when my manager walks up.)

Manager: *handing me a money pouch, full of change* “This all we have in the store.”

Me: “Thanks. There’s an unruly customer in candy who told me ‘go to h***’ so I’m calling security.”

Manager: *before she leaves to go see what the customer looks like* “Do it.” *comes back and says to my coworker in wine* “Go check it out; she makes me look nice!”

(Ah, gotta love the holidays and the crazies they bring.)