(I’m at the local mall and I decide to poke my head into the candy shop to see if there are any interesting specials. As part of the displays, the store in question sets up chocolate boxes that have cellophane in them so you can see inside and admire the designs on the candy. As I look over them, I notice that one pack clearly has a chocolate missing.)
Me: *calling over the young woman working the floor* “Miss? I think one of your display chocolates got pinched.”
Employee: *coming over and looking at the box* “Yeah, I noticed that, but I’m not worried.”
Me: “Okay, as long as someone knows about it… How do you mean, not worried?”
Employee: “We’ve had that particular box on display for months now; if that chocolate did get stolen, the thief is probably gonna get sick, and if the thief gets sick, it’s not like they can come back on us about it, because they won’t have a receipt!”
(I couldn’t deny her logic!)
American sweets are a bit of a novelty in England, a few shops and stalls have appeared in my city and I decide to take a look.
Customer: excuse me?
Shop staff: yes?
Customer: do you source all your stock from America?
(Typical American sweets fill the shelves there are American flags in the store and the shop is called American candy)
Staff: … yes miss.
Customer: do you just do sweets?
Staff: well yes, we do have some drinks aswell.
Customer: well that’s no good I need some savoury items.
Staff: well I’m sorry miss but as you can see…
Customer: (interrupting) I need some turkey, the barbecue one. Do you know the one I mean?
Staff: well no I only work the tills.
Customer: when can you have some in for me?
Staff: as I said I don’t actually decide what the shop sells.you would have to speak to the owner.
Customer: (clearly not listening) ok great, speak with him won’t you?! I will be in next week to pick it up.
Staff: but miss thats not how it works…
Customer: thank you (leaves).
Our store sells over 20 flavors of popular chocolate truffles, and this conversation has happened way too many times.
Customer: “Hmm…what’s the difference between the white chocolate truffle and the vanilla truffle.”
Me: “Well, one is white chocolate and the other is vanilla.”
Customer: “Oh, awesome! Thanks!”
I’ve just rung up a mother and her young daughter, including tying the bags closed with twist-ties. The daughter doesn’t notice the twist-tie on her bag and quickly becomes upset that she can’t open it.
Daughter: *distraught* “It’s broken! Mommy, it’s broken!”
The mother assured her that the candy wasn’t “broken” as they left, but I’m not sure she believed it…
(This was a few years ago, when I was 16. I am a female. I was taking my sister, who’s 12, out to the candy store. She wanted to ‘be independent’, but she asked if someone could trail her just in case. I am in the same store, but a few meters down the aisle, just in case.)
Sister: “Could you help me get that candy off the top shelf, please? I can’t quite reach it, miss.”
(I turn around to see my sister talking to a middle-aged woman taller than she is.)
Middle-aged woman: “How dare you! I should have you kicked out of the store for disturbing other customers. You’re just a spoiled brat. Go pester someone else.”
(At this point, my sister is speechless and starting to tear up. She sniffles and wipes away her tears. I start to come over, but she waves me away. I assume she wants privacy, so I let her be.)
Employee: “Hi there. Let me help you, miss. Which candy did you want again?”
Sister: *perks up* “Oh, thanks sir. I would like [candy], please.”
(Suddenly, the middle-aged woman beside her whips around, snatches the candy away from the employee and holds it above her head, where my sister can’t reach it.)
Middle-aged woman: “You’re supposed to be serving me, son of a b****! And you! How rude can you be, stupid damn girl?! I TOLD you to not disturb anyone anymore! How f****** dare you!”
(She the proceeds to SLAP my sister with the box of candy, scratching her cheek and knocking her glasses off. I can’t take it anymore. I stalk over to the rude lady and knock the box out of her hands.)
Me: *nearly growling* “How dare she?! How dare you! You snatch merchandise from an employee and HIT an INNOCENT girl with it?! What is wrong with you! That is an EMPLOYEE, who’s job is to HELP CUSTOMERS. In case you haven’t noticed, ma’am, you aren’t the only customer here. If I were you, I’d hightail it outta here with your precious candy. [Sister] didn’t do anything”
Middle-aged lady: *snorts* “And you’re her mom, I suppose? This is why our economy is crumbling. You teens sleeping around and getting pregnant. Damn b****.”
Me: *give her a incredulous look* “Ma’am, I am 16. My SISTER here, [Sister], is 12.”
Employee: *on the phone* “Police? Yes, I’d like to report an assault on a young girl by a middle-aged woman at [Candy store address].”
Middle-ages woman: *goes white* “Y-y-you can’t do that!”
Employee: “Yes, I can.”
(The middle-aged woman tries to run out, but I step in front of her.”
Me: “You are not going anywhere.”
(She was charged with assault and had to pay a fine. My sister got the candy for free, and became friends with the employee that helped her. He was a man in his thirties and appreciated some friendship at his job!)
