She Is Just Organically Terrible

I work part-time at a tiny, tiny Asian food store. I have seen fast food restrooms that were bigger than our store. Still, we stock more than two-thousand products so customers often ask us where certain things are. That’s no big deal; if anything, we hold pride in our good customer service.

I’m alone in the shop, as mornings are usually calm during this particular season.

Me: “Good morning, how are you? Are you looking for something specific?”

Customer: “I need two cans and one package of coconut milk. It has to be organic!”

That’s one of our most popular products, so I easily show her where we keep our coconut milk. Most of them aren’t organic, though. I hold up the two organic packages we stock.

Me: “Which size do you need? 1L or 250ml?”

Customer: “Organic.”

Me: “These are both organic. How much do you need?”

Customer: “Organic!”

She doesn’t even look at me, but instead starts grabbing around where the cans are. My hands are still holding the two packages, so I can’t exactly help and point out which is the right can.

Customer: “Is this one organic?”

Me: “Yes, that’s the organic can.”

Customer: *A little annoyed* “You know, the other woman recognizes me and always gets my coconut milk before I can even ask for it.”

I almost reply that I must have been fortunate enough to not encounter her in my four months of working here, but I hold back and just smile. I’m surely going to remember her, too, so that next time I can flee into the back when she comes in.

I hold up the two packages again, since she still hasn’t looked at me properly.

Me: “So, which size do you need for the packages: 250ml or 1L?”

Customer: “ORGANIC!”

I really wonder why she needed help locating our coconut milk and identifying which of the three brands we have is the organic one, since she apparently comes in so often and always buys the same thing.