Trying To Get Bread Without Any Dough

(I am alone at the tills of the bakery I work at. A friendly looking middle-aged lady comes up to me and I smile and greet her.)

Me: “Hi! ”

Customer: “Hello.”

Me: “What can I do for you today?”

Customer: “Well, I’ve just been down at the [Bakery franchise] store in my local mall and they were telling me you have a coupon deal to get a free loaf.”

Me: *thinking she wants more details* “Yes, that’s absolutely right; we do have that deal. All you have to do is buy six tarts—”

Customer: “Oh, no, they already told me about it there. I’d just like to get it, please.”

Me: “No problem. Please give me a moment to find it. I haven’t had the chance to put one of these through yet.”

(I start quickly looking through the copious buttons on our till. The customer looks a little frustrated but waits for me to find it.)

Me: “There we are! So all I need now is your coupon and I can go box your tarts and slice up your loaf for you.”

Customer: “Oh, I don’t have a coupon with me.”

(I’m a little a loss here after the conversation we’d just had, and I’m thinking perhaps I’d misunderstood her intentions.)

Me: “Well, we will have that deal right up to Christmas so whenever you want to come and grab it we can help you out.”

Customer: “Oh, but I want it today.”

Me: *wishing I wasn’t the only person out front* “Well, I’m sorry, but I can’t put the sale through without a coupon.”

Customer: “It’s okay, though. I have it in my car.”

Me: “Oh that’s all right, then. I’d be happy to slice your loaf for you while you go and get it.”

Customer: *looking suddenly very irritated* “I don’t want to go all the way back to my car! It’s all the way on the other side of the mall. I don’t have time for that. Can’t you just give me the deal?”

Me: “I’m very sorry, but without the coupon you can’t get the loaf for free.” *trying to diffuse the tension* “However, there is still a price reduction when you buy those two items together so it still comes in a bit cheaper.”

Customer: “I don’t understand why you won’t give me the loaf?!”

(I start trying to explain to her the basics of how a coupon works but she cuts me off.)

Customer: “Why should I have to show you my coupon?! I should just have to say that I have it.”

Me: “But that way everyone could just claim that they had one and get out products for free.”

Customer: “But it’s in my car!”

Me: “And again I will be happy to collect your items and keep them here while you go and grab your coupon.”

(She looks at me furiously for a minute as if I’m being the unreasonable one.)

Customer: “Fine! I’ll go and get it all the way in my car!”

(She stormed off with her trolley. Strangely enough, that customer did not return with her coupon that day. So either she was just trying to wrangle a free loaf of bread from me or she seriously needed to learn how a coupon works.)