Resisting Attempts To Snuff Out Gifting

(I work in a small, family-owned store that is within a shopping village. Older people enjoy coming here to walk around, or to sit and enjoy the gardens. Many of them enjoy goofing about with us, and not a month goes by where we don’t get laser pens or candies from someone. An elderly man with a German accent is talking with my coworker.)

Customer: “I love your shop! Everyone is friendly, and the rest of the village is just as nice!”

Coworker: “Thank you! I really enjoy working here; it’s so much better than my previous job!”

Customer: “I can bet! How many others are you working with today?”

Coworker: “There are four of us all together. Everyone else is just bustling about.”

Customer: “Here. I have something for each of you.”

(He hands her four nice boxes, each about the size of an apple.)

Customer: “I’m off to find a bench. I hope you have a wonderful day!”

Coworker: “Thank you very much for the gifts! Enjoy the rest of your day as well!”

(We all opened the boxes to find a handkerchief and a full snuff container for each of us. It was the strangest gift a customer had ever given us.)