They Probably Assumed You Could Apparate

One day, I am shopping. I get a bunch of ingredients for soup and eggs benny, get to the checkout, and… realize that I forgot my freaking debit card. Stupid online shopping, getting me to take it out of my wallet.

I am very apologetic, and I ask if they can hold my groceries, what time they close, and what time it currently is. I have about thirty-five minutes before they close, and it takes me fifteen minutes just to get home, so I need to hurry.

I. Haul. A**. And I actually do manage to get back to the store just a few minutes before they close, and I get in line to patiently wait for my turn.

After a few minutes, I get to the front, smile, and tell them:

Me: “I just had to run home to get my card. My groceries should be just behind the counter.”

Cashier: “Oh, we only keep them for fifteen minutes, so we’ve already put them back.”

Me: *Pauses* “Excuse me? I just ran all the way home and back because you said you would hold them for me.”

The cashier starts to get pissy.

Cashier: “Well, we can’t just hold onto food forever.”

Me: “And I get that, but you don’t think that would’ve been good to know before I ran all the way home and back?!”

Cashier: “Well, it’s not my fault!”

I wave toward the store.

Me: “So, can I go get my groceries?!”

Cashier: *Sarcastically* “Oh, sure, I’ll just stay half an hour past closing.”

I said nothing and went to grab a basket since all I could think to say were variations of “not my f****** problem”. I quickly retraced my steps and got most of my groceries; I wouldn’t be able to make soup without another trip, but I would be able to make eggs benny as planned.

I got back to the cashier, and she did have the good grace to thank me for being quick. She also agreed with me that the original cashier should have told me the fifteen-minute time limit before sending me on a thirty-minute round trip. Because she had made such a big deal about how late I was going to keep her, as soon as I exited the doors, I checked the time: 21:02. I had kept her past close by a whopping two minutes.