Sweetheart Break

(Our shop is a small, family-run business that I’ve had the joy of working at for four years. So far it’s been a great day, with a few of my weekly regulars bringing in coffees for a chat and one bringing in their new pup for me to meet. I’m used to being friendly with the customers, and many of them have expressed how they love being called “Sweetheart” or “Love” as I do. A new customer, around sixty, walks into shop surrounded by four children. She proceeds to grab a bag of bird seed and sunflower hearts. I smile and till them up; the total shows up on the customer screen, as well.)

Me: “That’ll be £2.40, please. Would you like a bag?”

(The customer simply nods with a grunt, refusing to look at me as her children pick up and misplace everything not attached to a wall. She places £2.14 on the counter in change and tells me to “put the change in the box,” meaning one of our donation boxes. As it has been a good day so far, I decide not to ask the 5p for a carrier bag or the remaining change. I sort the change and close the till when she finally looks at me.)

Customer: “Are you pocketing the change?!”

(I falter and blush.)

Me: “I’m really sorry, sweetheart, but the total was actually £2.40; you gave me £2.14 so there was no change.”

(She turned red in the face and grabbed in her bag. She took out a handful of 2p coins and threw them at me, shouting, “DON’T CALL ME ‘SWEETHEART’!” before storming out, children in tow. Lesson learned: no good deed goes unpunished.)