Time And Aging Stop For No One

(I’m 4’11” and relatively thin. I’m in my 30s but I’ll occasionally get mistaken for a child at first glance. This is one of those times. I am at a retailer for high-end mobile devices and computers to get a new band for my watch. [Employee #1] takes my name, checks me in, and says that someone will be with me shortly. I go to the island where the watches and bands are on display. I am wearing my watch on my left wrist. I pick up another watch of a different size and hold it to my right wrist to see how it would look on me. Within seconds, another employee comes running up to me.)

Employee #2: “PUT THAT DOWN! THOSE ARE EXPENSIVE!”

Me: “I was just–“

Employee #2: *takes the watch from my hand* “I don’t think your parents would appreciate if you broke this. It may look like a toy to you, but it’s several hundred dollars!”

(The employee then sees my watch I’m wearing and claws at my wrist to take it off. I jerk my arm away from him.)

Me: “Hey! This watch is mine! I’m just here to get another band for it!”

(Since I’m getting concerned that the employee is going to take my watch, my voice is a bit raised and panicked. This causes the people in the area I’m in to take notice, including [Employee #1], who comes running up.)

Employee #1: “What’s going on?”

Employee #2: “This kid is trying to take our display watches!”

Employee #1: “Uh, she isn’t a kid. I checked her in, and I saw her wearing the watch she has on now when she came in. She said she wants to buy a [Specific Band] for it.”

(Finally, [Employee #2] actually LOOKED at me, realized I’m older than I appear, and turned a nice shade of red. He was pretty quiet for the rest of the transaction.)