Going Bananas Over The Bread
(I’m at the self-checkout, and I can hear a woman yelling about her own self-checkout order to the cashier.)
Customer: “I can’t believe you would just let someone bag their own groceries! How was I supposed to know bananas would flatten my bread? I want a new loaf of bread, and I want it free!”
Supervisor: “Ma’am, we can’t just give you free groceries for your own errors. As we told you last week, putting heavy things on top of light things will cause problems. We’ve suggested you take your items to a cashier to be bagged properly, and—”
Customer: “I don’t care what you said last week! There is no sign here telling me the bananas will squish my bread! I want it free!”
Supervisor: “No. I told you, you can’t get any more free groceries.”
(At this point, I decide to intervene.)
Me: “Ma’am, can I help you with something? Do you need money?”
Customer: “What the h*** do you mean by that? Do you even work here?”
Me: “No, ma’am, I don’t work here. I just thought given the fuss you were making over a two dollar loaf of bread, you probably needed the money. Let me write you a check; how much do you need?”
Customer: “I don’t need anything! It’s the principle of the thing!”
Me: “And what principle is that?”
Customer: “Well… I… These people need to learn their place!”
Me:“They make minimum wage, and I’m sure many of them have second jobs. I’m sure many of them know ‘their place’ in YOUR version of society. So you mean to tell me you’re just being mean to make others feel inferior?”
Customer: “Well… I…”
Me: “In that case, I’ll buy you a free loaf of bread just to get these poor employees some peace!”
Customer: “Well, I never met someone so rude!” *storms out of the store with her squished bread*