Sometimes We Wish It Was Acceptable To Slap Customers

I’m a cashier at a big chain retailer. I have a rare muscular disability, so I have a stool (that I purchased) that I use while I’m working. While I can walk short distances and stand for short periods of time, I have a lot pain if I do it for a while. I have a wheelchair, but I typically don’t use it at work since I don’t walk too much at my lane, and the stool is a lot less bulky. I also typically work a small, belted self-checkout lane.

I’m working at my typical self-checkout lane when a woman comes to check out with a mountain of groceries. I greet her warmly and with a smile.

Me: “Hello, how are you?”

Customer: “I’d be better if this store wasn’t so f****** confusing. I couldn’t even find the gift cards! What kind of a store doesn’t have gift cards?”

There is a gift card stand right next to my checkout.

Me: “I have a stand right over here if you’d like one?”

The woman responds while looking at her phone.

Customer: “Good, get me two $10 [Fast Food Restaurant] cards. And hurry. I’m sooo tired of standing.”

I know that I can walk that far without a problem.

Me: “Of course, just a moment.”

I walk over to the stand, grab the gift cards, and come back to see the woman putting my stool off to the side and sitting on it.

Customer: “Good, you’re back. Ring up my stuff and tell me when you’re done. I need to call my mother.”

I start to die on the inside because it’s a self-checkout, but I don’t want to be yelled at any further.

Me: “Ma’am, I’d be happy to help you scan your items, but I need my stool in order to do that.”

She looks at me and huffs.

Customer: “Excuse me? I’m a paying customer! I’m tired and I want to sit! Now do as I say, or I will get you fired!”

My legs start to shake and pain begins in my knees and ankles.

Me: “Ma’am, I have a physical disability, and I use that stool to avoid getting hurt. If I stand for too long, I get in a lot of pain.”

Customer: *Getting louder with every word* “Well, I had to stand for hours to get all of this! And you’re probably faking your disability so you can sit! Just check me out!”

My supervisor, who must have heard all of the commotion, comes over and sees that I’m standing and obviously in a lot of pain.

Supervisor: “Hey, [My Name], what’s going on? Why aren’t you sitting on your stool?”

Customer: “Finally, a manager! Your stupid employee won’t ring up my stuff, and she wants me to give her my stool so she can sit on her f****** lazy a**!”

My legs give out and I fall to the ground, crying in pain.

Supervisor: *Concerned* “[My Name], are you okay?”

He goes on his walkie-talkie and calls a code that means an employee is injured.

Customer: “Don’t be so dramatic! She’s obviously faking it!”

Supervisor: *Livid* “Ma’am, she has a physical disability and needs that stool, not to mention that you’re at a self-checkout. If you want a cashier to check you out, then you should head over to our staffed registers.”

Customer: “But I don’t want to wait in that line!”

My manager comes practically running from the back of the store.

Manager: “[Supervisor], what happened to [My Name]? Does she need an ambulance?”

I shake my head no, still crying. Meanwhile, the customer starts snapping at my manager.

Customer: “HELLO! I STILL NEED SOMEONE TO RING ME UP! MY ICE CREAM IS GOING TO MELT!”

Manager: “Ma’am, we have an emergency with our employee. We need to help her first. Once this has been settled, I will gladly help you.”

Customer: “SHE’S FAKING IT! AND BESIDES, SHE’S TOO FAT FOR THIS STOOL, ANYWAY!”

Manager: *fuming* “Ma’am, get out of the store or I will call security. You do not get to talk about my employee like that!”

Customer: “YOU HAVE TO CHECK ME OUT! IT’S THE LAW!”

Manager: “LEAVE! NOW!”

The customer starts screaming at my manager that we clearly don’t know “who she is” or “what she can do to us” if we don’t check her out immediately. During her rant, my manager, finally having heard enough, turns to the supervisor.

Manager: “[Supervisor], call security.”

[Supervisor] nodded and called for them on his walkie. The customer shrieked even louder, demanding the number for corporate so that she could “report how horrible this store is at customer service!”

Security showed up quickly, and they almost dragged the customer out of the store. [Supervisor] and [Manager] made sure I was okay and told me to take the rest of the day off, fully paid. They called my mom, who came to pick me up and take me to the urgent care just to be sure. I was fine, but they gave me a note to take some time off to rest. Later, I was told that the customer was banned from the store.