Truly Vile Customers Are A Cancer

I work at a large big box store. It’s early in the morning, and we aren’t terribly busy yet. I notice one customer avoiding another register to come to mine. As I’m checking him out, I discover this isn’t a coincidence as he starts to badmouth a few of my coworkers.

Customer: “I really didn’t want her to ring me up. She has a terrible attitude.”

I look to see who he’s talking about. The coworker in question is known for her exuberance and enthusiastic attitude, even if she pushes the store credit card pretty hard.

Me: “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

Customer: “Yeah, if I heard she had cancer, I would just laugh so hard.”

He goes on in this vein for a while, and I simply try to ring him up and get him out. To make this worse, I actually know the coworker has health issues and will be taking some time off for them soon. Finally, he’s done and leaves. I turn to the next customer.

Second Customer: “And he’s complaining about someone else’s attitude?”

Me: “I wasn’t going to say anything.”