To Customers, All Employees Are To All Stores

I have just gotten off work at a grocery store. I am almost home before I remember there was an item I needed to buy. I stop at a competing grocery store since it is closer than going back. I am still wearing my store-specific colored apron and name tag with the store name on it.

I am walking to get my item when I am approached by a customer.

Customer: “I am looking for [item]; where is it?”

Me: “I’m not really sure. I think they are over on aisle five.”

I get my item and am on the way to pay for it.

Customer: “You were wrong. It wasn’t there and you wasted my time. Now where is it?”

Me: “Again, I’m really not sure.”

Customer: “Can you go find it?”

Me: “This isn’t my store.”

Customer: “I don’t care what store you work at; you should know where everything is since they are all laid out the same.”

Me: “I don’t work h—”

Customer: “Now you’re just being lazy and rude. I want your name; I am going to complain to your manager.”

I held out my name tag so she could clearly see that it had another store name written on it. She glanced at my name and trotted off to the front desk.

As I was in line buying my item, I saw her there, talking to a manager and pointing at me. The manager looked at me quizzically and I just shrugged my shoulders. He shook his head and gave me the “I hate my life” look.