I have just moved apartments, and I am stocking up on all of the essentials. I’ve been putting things on the belt while the cashier scans them when he suddenly gets a look of disgust on his face and drops the box that he is holding.

I glance at it and see that it is a box of tampons. Given the stories I’ve read, I’m already rolling my eyes internally.

Cashier: “Sorry, ma’am. I’ll see about getting you a clean box.”

Me: “Huh?”

The cashier grabbed the side of the box and turned it around to reveal that some liquid had spilled down the back of the box, leading to the box deforming from water damage and some sort of sticky glue-like residue being left behind. Apparently, I’d missed it when I was pulling the box off of the shelf.

Luckily, none of the other items I was buying were affected, and he was able to pull a clean box from the shelf, but it certainly taught me a lesson about jumping to judge someone.

About twenty years ago, when I was in high school, I worked after school at a drugstore chain. One of the shift supervisors was a real jerk. He made the girls who worked there very uncomfortable and was all around just a bully.

One day, he decided to sneak up behind me and dump some cologne on me that was marked to be thrown away. I absolutely reeked for the rest of my shift. I was furious. I have a sensitive nose and I was miserable. He thought it was hilarious.

I got my revenge when I left for the night.

Earlier on in my shift, I got extra rolls of change for my register in case I needed them. It was pretty quiet so I didn’t end up needing them. I worked until close, and it was the supervisor’s job to count the register; I was scheduled to be off as soon as the store closed.

Just before leaving, I opened and dumped out every single roll of coins in my register. The spaces for the coins were completely full. My supervisor had to count it all out before he could go home for the night.

He never messed with me again. He couldn’t do anything to me because then it would come out that he’d dumped the cologne on me. And technically, I didn’t break any rules.

I work at my local drug store where we sell alcohol and tobacco products. We have a “Card All” policy; you could obviously look to be in your fifties, but I still must ask to scan the back of your ID.

This customer comes in and says he wants a pack of cigarettes.

Me: “I need to scan the back of your ID.”

Customer: “I don’t have it.”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, but it’s store policy to card all for tobacco.”

Customer: “I’m thirty-one.”

Me: “I understand that, but I still need to scan your ID.”

Customer: “I left my ID at the store next door; it’s where I work.”

Me: “Okay.”

He leaves, and I put the cigarettes under the counter for when he returns with his ID. He comes back, though, without his ID.

Customer: “Hey, what’s your name?”

Me: “[My Name].”

Customer: “[My Name]. Okay, I’ll remember to double tax you the next time you come to my store.”

He left again and I was standing there super confused. I don’t even shop at his store. I’ve lived here for three years and have only stepped foot in his store twice. I wasn’t even buying anything; I was with my mom who did buy something.

I am working at the front checkout on Halloween night. A young woman and her young daughter come into the store. The daughter is dressed up as a princess and is obviously in the middle of trick-or-treating.

Mother: “Go ahead!”

Girl: “Trick or treat!”

Me: “I’m sorry, sweetie, but we don’t have any free candy here.”

Girl: *Obviously disappointed* “Oh…”

Man In Line: “You know what, I’ve got it.”

The man in line grabs a full-sized Snickers bar and hands it to me to scan.

Man In Line: “That’s for the princess.”

Girl & Mother: “Thank you!”

Me: “That was really very generous! Thank you so much!”

Man In Line: “It’s a better use of my money than this issue of Concealed Handguns I’m buying!”

Related:
All Treat, No Trick

This story is part of our Feel Good roundup for October 2020!

Read the next Feel Good roundup story!

Read the Feel Good roundup for October 2020!

I’m in line waiting to buy a lottery ticket. The man ahead of me will be the next person at the register, but he’s huffing and puffing and loudly setting his two items down on the shelf next to him as he waits for the cashier to serve her current customer.

Customer: “Can you get another person on a register?”

The cashier calls for her coworker, who arrives promptly. The man moves to her. A few seconds later, it’s my turn at the first register, so I stop paying attention to everything else and pay for my ticket. I move off to near the exit to fold my ticket up into my wallet.

Cashier: “Excuse me, sir, bags are five cents each. That’s why I asked if you wanted any.”

I look up to see that the impatient man has moved to an empty cashier station and is struggling with a plastic bag.

Customer: “I’m not paying for a bag.”

Cashier: “Then don’t use one.”

Customer: “Cheapo. I’ll be sure never to come here again!”

The man walked off with his two items in his hands, leaving the bag off its hooks. I went to put it back, only to find a huge rip in it.

Related:
Has Some Serious Bag Baggage, Part 4
Has Some Serious Bag Baggage, Part 3
Has Some Serious Bag Baggage, Part 2
Has Some Serious Bag Baggage