They Don’t Have Bags Of Reasons  

(Once or twice a week, I ride my bike to our local convenience store for munchie foods, like drinks and chips and chocolate. I’m in my mid-30s and baby-faced, but still definitely NOT a teenager. I also carry a black backpack whenever I’m riding to put any purchases in. In the past month, 50% of my visits to the store have been met with loud accusations — loud enough that every time all other customers turn and glare at me — from the teenage staff members. Incident #1: I buy some drinks and have a drink in my backpack that I bought elsewhere; this store sells a frozen version of the drink, but not a non-frozen version, and the drink I have is warm.)

Staff: “Did you forget to pay for that drink?”

Me: “No, mate, I got this across the road. You don’t sell this drink.”

Staff: “I’m pretty sure we do.”

Me: “No, mate, you sell the frozen version, not the warm.”

Staff: “No, I’m sure we sell that drink.”

Me: *now walking away* “No, go check your shelves. You do not sell this drink.”

(Incident #2: I walk into the store, my helmet attached to my backpack, like I always do. The registers are at the front but away from the entrance.)

Staff: *mid-serving another customer and yelling* “Oi! You need to leave your bag at the front!”

Me: “Pardon?”

Staff: “You need to leave your bag at the front there!”

Customer: “Yeah! Leave your bag!”

Me: “Ah… no one has asked me to do that before.”

Staff: “Well, if you don’t, you have to present your bag when you leave.”

Me: “Yeah, that’s fine. I’m not leaving my bag here; I’m not some school kid and I have personal stuff in my bag.”

(I got my food and went to check out; the same staff member was there. She did not ask to check my bag, but I happily showed it to her. I checked their policy on the way out; nowhere does it state you have to leave your bag at the front, just that they can request to see your bag.)