Serious Baggage Issues

(Because of the fact the store I work in is located in another store, when we clock out and go to leave we have to go through the main store for a bag check. I’ve stopped carrying a bag partly because of this, and partly because I recently got work pants that have pockets so I can carry everything I need. I’ve just clocked out and started to leave the store when an employee approaches me.)

Employee: “You have to do a bag check.”

Me: “But I don’t have a bag.”

Employee: “If you don’t do the bag check, I’m calling security.”

Me: “How can I do a bag check if I don’t have a bag?”

Employee: *into a walkie talkie* “I have a girl from [My Store] who is refusing to do a bag check.”

Me: *hoping that whoever’s on the other end can hear me* “I don’t have a bag to check!”

Employee: “You just stay here. Security’s on its way.”

(The next five minutes pass, during which I’m trying to explain that it’s impossible for me to have a bag check seeing as I don’t have a bag. Security shows up and by this point I’m having an anxiety attack.)

Security: “Why aren’t you getting your bag checked?”

Me: “I don’t have a bag! All I have in my pockets are my phone, wallet, and keys. I don’t carry a bag when I have pockets!”

Security: *stares at me a moment while this processes, then turns to the employee* “How the f*** is someone gonna check something they don’t have!? Get the f*** outta here and go back to [department].” *turns back to me* “Sorry. This is the third time she’s done this to someone. You okay?”

(I end up needing to sit in the break room until my anxiety attack subsided. Even after that the security guard had to walk me to the door to keep the employee from harassing me again. When I showed up for my next shift later that week, I heard she’d been fired for harassing customers and employees alike if they didn’t leave with any purchases, regardless of whether the employees had just been on shift or not!)