Well, You Gave It A Try

I live in a small town with only two real grocery stores, one on each end of town. I usually do my shopping at [Store #1], even though I live and work much closer to [Store #2], because [Store #2] does not have a great customer service reputation.

One day, I realize that I forgot something on my latest shopping trip at [Store #1], so I decide to stop in at [Store #2] after work instead of driving all the way across town to [Store #1]. I head into the store, grab the items I need, and head up to the cash register. The cashier scans my items, and when I reach into my pocket for my wallet… it’s not there. I have a sudden flashback of taking my wallet out of my pocket in my car to see if I had enough cash to pay for my items, and I realize that I forgot to grab my wallet when I got out of my car.

I explain my mistake to the cashier and ask if she can hold my items for me until I can get my wallet out of my car. She agrees, so I run out to my car, grab my wallet, head back into the store, and join the register line again, intending to wait for the two customers who were behind me, but are now in front of me, to finish their transactions.

I get back to the cashier and don’t see my items anywhere around the cash register.

Me: “Hi, I’m back. Are my items still here?”

Employee: “No? You said you weren’t able to pay and left. I had [Bagger] run everything back to the shelf.”

Me: “I wasn’t leaving. I said I forgot my wallet in my car and had to go get it.”

Employee: “Well, whatever. Maybe you can find [Bagger] before they get everything put away.”

I did not try to find [Bagger]. I left and made the drive across town to [Store #1]. I haven’t stopped in at [Store #2] for anything since this happened.