(I’m a grocery store cashier. In recent shifts, I’ve been having issues with cash shortages in my till. The assistant customer service manager (ACSM) has just told me that he needs to talk to me.)

ACSM: “So, [my name], your till was $20 short.”

Me: “Seriously? I double-counted. Came up accurate both times.”

ACSM: “Yeah, you’re short again. I need you to sign the cash shortage form.”

(As I sign the form, I realize something unusual.)

Me: “You know how these are signed twice?”

ACSM: “Yeah.”

Me: “Every cash shortage form I’ve had has been signed by [brand new supervisor] and you.”

ACSM: “Oh, really?”

Me: “Yeah! I think that’s a weird coincidence. This only happens when you and [brand new supervisor] are on duty.”

ACSM: “Hmm. That’s interesting. Well, you’re done here. You can go back to your register…”

(I never had another cash shortage issue after that. However, a few weeks later on a busy Friday afternoon, the ACSM was escorted out of the door in handcuffs. Turns out, he’d been taking varying amounts ($5-$100) of money out of several registers including mine. He was caught when he pilfered $2,000 from the Lottery register the night before. Unfortunately for him, TWO supervisors were counting the money that night! A few months later, we learned that he’d been re-arrested for pulling similar thefts at his previous location!)

(I’m in line to pay for my groceries and I have two bags with me. I’ve bought some dairy and a chicken that is just out of the oven, so it’s really hot. Note: I have a broken wrist, so it’s faster and less painful when I let employees pack my groceries.)

Me: “Hi! Could you please put the dairy in a separate bag from the chicken? I don’t want my milk to heat.”

Cashier: “I don’t understand you.”

Me: “I have two bags. Just put the cold stuff in one, and the chicken in the other, as I don’t want my milk to be bagged with something hot.”

Cashier: “Then you want to buy a third bag for your other things?”

Me: “No, I just don’t want the cold stuff with the chicken. All the other stuff can be shared between the two bags.”

Cashier: “I’ll have to charge you for an extra bag, then.”

Me: “No. I just don’t want the chicken with the milk. I don’t care about the rest. One bag will have my dairy and some room temperature groceries. The other bag will have my chicken and other room temperature groceries. No need for a third bag.”

Cashier: “I don’t understand you. How do you want your groceries to be bagged?”

Me: “Chicken in a bag, milk in the other, and share the rest between the two bags.”

(Still not understanding me, the cashier puts the chicken and the milk in a bag, and the rest in the other bag.)

Me: “No, not like that. Chicken in one bag, milk in the other. My milk will go bad with all the heat from the chicken.”


Cashier: “Then I’ll have to charge you for a third bag.”

Me: “Never mind, I’ll do it myself…”

(I unpack everything and put the chicken in one bag with cereal and cans, and then put milk and yogurt with pasta and other cans.)

Me: “See? Chicken in one bag, milk in the other. Was that so hard to understand?”

Cashier: *angrily* “Why the f*** can’t people express clearly what they want? I can’t know what you want if you don’t tell me! No need to talk to me like that!”

(I’m serving a customer at the register, with items well into a triple digit total. He’s staring at the price display like a hawk. Even though there’s no line, I’m scanning as fast as I can.)

Customer: “I think you charged me three bags.”

(I look and see that one of the two carrier bags he had had indeed scanned twice. I void the extra bag.)

Me: “Oops, sorry about that!”

Customer: “There really should be a training program for you people.”

Me: “I’ve been trained for this, sir.”

Customer: “Well sure as s*** doesn’t look like it. How hard could it possibly be to scan each item once and only once?”

Me: “It happens. I fixed it, as you can see from the display.”

Customer: “But you’ve wasted my time with your incompetence!”

(My manager is walking by, sees the commotion, and approaches.)

Customer: “You really should be fired. I don’t think it’s too much to f***ing ask for you people to do your jobs properly. Perhaps if you had paid attention in school and not fooled around all the time, you wouldn’t be doing this s*** now. Moron!”

Me: “I apologize for the error.”

Customer: “Well, that’s not really good enough, s***head! This happens every time! The only reason I don’t go to the other store across the street is because they’re even more f***ing idiotic over there!”

Me: “I’ve corrected the mistake now. You will only pay for the items you’re actually buying.”

Customer: “But how the f*** can I be sure of that now?! I only get the f***ing receipt after I’ve paid! I’m left trusting potheads and morons like you to handle this s*** properly, but I guess you can’t even do that! Un-f***ing-believable!”

(At this point, my manager comes over and speaks up.)

Manager: “You make an excellent point, sir. I will fire this employee immediately, and your purchases today are free of charge.”

Customer: “Really?!”

Manager: “No. F*** off!”

(With that, my manager closes my register and motions me to follow him. We leave for break, leaving the customer standing there, stunned.)

(I work at a grocery store and I get along with all my coworkers but one. Coworker #1 is a self-proclaimed ‘Social Justice Warrior’ and takes it upon herself to call anyone and everyone sexist, racist, or ablest for anything they say. Note that she is so extreme she went on a tangent how calling black grapes black was racist.)

Me: “Wow, it’s raining so bad outside right now.”

Coworker #2: “Yeah, I know. I’m glad I didn’t have to walk today—”

Coworker #1: “You’re GLAD you didn’t have to walk today? Don’t you know how inconsiderate that is to say? Some people can’t walk! Ablest scum!”

Coworker #2: “Wow… well, excuse me for not wanting to waddle through the rain for a half hour.”

Coworker #1: “Your struggle is nothing compared to what other people have to deal with. Check your privilege!”

(Coworker #1 then storms away. Later that day, I see her talking to a custodian and overhear this.)

Coworker #1: “Well, I don’t see how you don’t understand how you’re being oppressed.”

Custodian: “Excuse me?”

Coworker #1: “They put you in this spot because you’re Hispanic. They’re trying to make you a stereotype so they can feel comfortable in their controlled world!”

Custodian: I’m sorry, but I applied for this job, and I’m pretty content with it. Also, I’m Hawaiian, not Hispanic.”

Coworker #1: “I’m just trying to help you! You don’t have to be so reverse-racist okay? I understand, I’m on your side!”

(The custodian gives her an odd look before attempting to go back to his job.)

Coworker #1: “I know how it feels. They’ve appropriated your culture and now you’re scorned! I can help!”

Custodian:: *ignores her*

Coworker #1: “I can’t believe this!”

(Coworker #1 storms off once again. The next day I heard she quit; apparently she said she couldn’t be in such a triggering environment.)

(I have just gone to the hospital for a abdominal scan, and I still have the ID bracelet on that they give to patients. I am shopping on my own when a woman comes up to me.)

Female customer: “Excuse me!”

Me: “Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be in the way.”

Female customer: “What are you doing in a public place, kid?”

(Note: I’m 21.)

Me: “What?”

Female customer: “That bracelet! It means that you are infected! What are you doing touching things?”

Me: “Lady. I’m not infected with anything. I just came from a check-up.”

Female customer: “STOP LYING! I am going to get the manager!”

(She leaves, and I continue to shop. She comes back with the manager while I am looking at some fruit.)

Female customer: “See? He’s touching everything! Now you are going to have to throw all of this out!”

Me: “Look, I already told you. It’s an ID bracelet.”

Manager: “Wait. You already told her that?” *turns to lady* “Why are you harassing this poor kid?”

Female customer: “HE IS GOING TO KILL US ALL!” *runs off*

(The manager apologized and I got his discount for my food!)