I work as a porter at a large branch of a national supermarket chain, dealing with the trolleys and baskets. The front of the store features a large metal A-frame that kids love to climb on but it isn’t safe at all, so we tell them to get down before they hurt themselves. About ten minutes after telling a little girl that it isn’t a climbing frame and asking her to get down, I’m approached by a woman, the girl from before in tow. 

Woman: “Don’t tell her not to climb on there; it’s none of your business!”

I try and explain that it is my business because it’s part of my job but the woman cuts me off, repeating:

Woman: “It’s none of your business!”

She stormed off to her car. I wonder if she’d feel the same way if her daughter had fallen and injured herself?

I work in healthcare and I am running to the store after work. I’m clearly in medical scrubs and, with the current health crisis, everyone is giving me a wide berth. I’m standing in line to get something for the pharmacy counter and a customer and her husband are in front of me. 

Customer: *To her husband* “You put the meat in the cart wrong and now’s it’s dropping blood all over the floor!”

The customer sees me.

Customer: “Weeeeeell, are you going to clean this up? What do they pay you for, anyway?!”

I’m just standing there dumbstruck when her husband speaks up.

Customer’s Husband: “I don’t think she works here.”

Customer: “How was I supposed to know that? All workers look the same! If she asked, I bet they’d give her a mop and she could clean it up! It’s not my issue she’s lazy!”

The husband got her to leave, but I was so taken aback that she expected me, who didn’t work there, to clean up her mess.

Related:
Mama Mushroom, Her Name Is Karen
When Karens Are So Bad They Bring Other Names Down With Them
Karens Are Bad Enough When They Leave At The End Of A Transaction
The Tale Of The Princess Karen
A Little Karen In The Making

Old Man: “Can you help me find something?”

Me: “Sure.”

Old Man: “There’s two of them, and they come in a box.”

Me: “Uh… what do you do with them?”

Old Man: “You clean things.”

I take him to where the cleaning products are, thinking he wants brillo pads.

Old Man: “I didn’t mean cleaning stoves; I mean for cleaning open wounds.”

Ever since the start of the health crisis, we have been out of things like wipes, toilet paper, and rubbing alcohol. As things get better, we start getting in more shipments of these essentials. Things like toilet paper are starting to stay on the shelves for longer periods of time, but things like hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol are still flying off the shelves, even with strict limits in place. This conversation has happened way too often.

Customer: “Where’s your alcohol?”

I work in a grocery store. The store sells the kind of alcohol you drink. I learned I have to clarify which kind people want, especially if I’m not anywhere near either kind when they ask me. This person just doesn’t get it.

Me: “Which kind? Rubbing alcohol or the stuff you drink?”

Customer: “Alcohol.”

Me: “Which kind did you want?”

Customer: “Alcohol? Where’s your alcohol?”

Me: “The stuff you drink is right over there; rubbing alcohol would be in that corner by the pharmacy, but we’re out of that.”

The customer turns towards the beer and wine section.

Customer: “No, not that kind!”

Me: “We’re out of rubbing alcohol.”

Customer: “You’re out? When will you get more?”

Me: “I don’t know.”

Customer: “You don’t?”

Me: “No. We won’t know until it comes in on a truck.”

Customer: “What about toilet paper or paper towels?”

Me: “Again, we won’t know until it comes in on the truck.”

Customer: “You guys need to order more toilet paper, then.”

Me: “The manufacturers are struggling to keep up with the increased demand. We can order it all day long, but our warehouses are empty and every store in the country has suddenly quadrupled the levels of product they’re selling.”

I feel like a lot of grocery workers used the drinking alcohol to get them through the panic-buying. Supply and demand, people. It’s not that complicated.

Related:
Supply & Demanding

My mom and I are standing in line at the checkout when my mom says that she forgot to grab something and asks me to watch the cart for a minute. While she’s gone, the cashier finishes ringing up the customer in front of me. I am extremely shy, and I start getting very flustered as I unload the cart.

Cashier: “Do you want paper or plastic?”

Me: *Mumbling* “Um… I, uh…”

Cashier: *Patiently* “Paper or plastic?”

Me: “Yes.”

We both stare blankly at each other for several seconds.

Cashier: *Still patiently* “Paper or plastic, ma’am?”

Me: “Oh, um… plastic. Wait, no! Paper!”

My mom mercifully returned at that point and paid for the groceries.