I’m in the checkout line behind another customer. While her payment is being processed, the customer takes out her phone and begins a phone conversation.

Cashier: “Ma’am, would you like your items in paper or plastic?”

She waves him off, speaking on the phone.

Customer: “What was that?”

The cashier bags the items in plastic.

Cashier: “Would you like your receipt?”

The customer grabs the bags, still on the phone.

Customer: “Could you repeat that?”

Cashier: “Would you like your receipt?”

Customer: *Into the phone* “Hold on a minute.” *To the cashier* “EXCUSE ME! I am on the phone with my doctor! I would appreciate it if you would stop interrupting me! This is important!”

She continues her phone conversation. The cashier then hands the woman her receipt. She grabs it, points to her card still on his side of the counter, and snatches it from his hands when he hands it to her. She storms out. I walk up to the counter feeling bad for the cashier.

Me: “Wow. I’m so sorry. I have no idea what her problem was. You must be having a really long day.”

Cashier: *Sighs* “Every day is a long day. Do you have your rewards card?”

My transaction went smoothly, but I still feel bad for that cashier. He handled it so well and was very patient and courteous. I filled out the email survey they sent me commending him.

I witness a customer go to a self-checkout machine that has “NO CASH” written on it. After they have rung their purchases in, they start shoving their cash into any crevice they can find.

Me: “It says, ‘NO CASH.’”

Customer: “Yeah, I’m just trying to find out where to put the cash.”

Me: “No, you can’t use cash.”

Customer: “I know, but I’m trying to find out where to put it.”

Me: “Nowhere, because the register doesn’t take cash.”

Customer: “Oh, there’s a sign saying, ‘NO CASH.’ Okay, then.”

They wandered off to the main checkout line.

Related:
Self-Check Yourself Before You Self-Wreck Yourself, Part 2
Self-Check Yourself Before You Self-Wreck Yourself

As a healthcare worker and, you know, a relatively intelligent human being, I have done my absolute best to stick to the “rules” throughout the many lockdowns. I am shopping for some fruit and veg, and have thoroughly sanitised my hands and basket, donned gloves, and am keeping my 1.5m away from everyone.

At the checkout, I am just exchanging a couple of words with the cashier when a fly buzzes past my open mouth and I manage to inhale the thing. I instantly start involuntarily coughing and choking, and before I can drop my shopping and get my face into my elbow where it belongs, I let out two massive coughs all in the direction of the cashier.

Between coughing and trying to breathe, I attempt to talk.

Me: “Oh, my God, I am so sorry! I just inhaled a fly! I’m sorry!”

I notice the five other people waiting nearby who are looking at me like I have the plague.

Me: “I’m so sorry! I inhaled a fly!”

I grabbed my shopping and ran away into the open space of the car park to finish my revolting coughing spell and hope the fly would come out with it. Gross.

I never thought I would be one of the pain-in-the-butt customers that I read about here. Never say never!

I go to a local gas station that offers a discount if you pay with cash. Before going on to prepay, I calculate the exact discount and how much I would need to request to get $10 in gas after the discount. It comes up to $10.68.

Me: “Can I get $10.68 on pump four?”

Clerk: “Sure.”

Here is where I have a brain fart. I hand her a $20 and she hands me a $10 back.

Me: “Wait a sec. I’m supposed to have another $0.68 more in change. I calculated it so I could get exactly $10 with the discount.”

Clerk: “No, you’re not. You have the correct change.”

This goes back and forth a couple of times with me getting more frustrated. 

Clerk: “Fine. Here’s your change, sir.”

She hands me the $0.68.

Clerk: *Mumbles* “Can’t come up short. I’ll just take it out of my pocket.”

Blissfully ignorant, I walk out and pump my gas. I relate the story to my husband and he looks at me like I’m an idiot.

Husband: “You know she was right, honey.”

Me: “What?! No, she… Oh. Oh, no. I’ve become what I hate!”

I run back into the store with the change in my hand.

Me: “I am sooo very sorry! I’m a complete moron! You were right. Here’s the change back.”

Clerk: *Scowls* “No problem, sir.”

Me: “Again, I am so sorry. I just did to you what has been done to me so many times that I can’t even count it.”

Clerk: “At least you came back and apologized. Most would have just left and still thought they were right.”

Whenever I went in after that, the clerk would get a little smirk when she rang me up. I’d just smile and not say a word. She and I knew what the smirk meant but it was never spoken of again.

Related:
You Have Become The Very Thing You Sought To Destroy!

My parents own a deli and convenience store and have been having trouble with employees stealing. My dad decides to install cameras. The back area is huge and there’s no way he can cover the whole area, so he picks the most central spot, puts a black dome over it so you can’t tell where it’s pointing, and hopes for the best.

In a short time, he catches the thieves and he’s dumbstruck. They were the two employees who helped him install the cameras. The only two employees besides my parents who knew the back area’s camera was covering the main part of the storage area. The only two employees who could have easily stolen in the camera’s blind spot. Instead, they stole right in view within a week after installation.