When Karma Makes Cents
At my checkout job, we have to ask every customer:
Me: “Did you find everything you were looking for today?”
Customer: *Rudely and gruffly.* “No!”
They give no more information, so I am forced to enquire:
Me: “I’m sorry to hear that. What could you not find today?”
Customer: “I was looking for [Brand] mints, and you only have your s***ty store brand ones!”
On my screen, I have the ability to run quick inventory searches. As it’s quiet and I don’t have a line, I run a quick search for him. I accidentally misspelled the name of the brand by inverting two letters. As soon as I realize my mistake and try to compensate for it, the customer notices:
Customer: “No, you switched the letters! Go finish High School before getting a job, you idiot!”
Now, I could have finished my inventory search, but this customer doesn’t deserve it, so I simply read him his total.
Me: “Your total is $5.87.”
The customer opens a small coin bag and slowly counts out what he thinks is exact change.
Me: “Sir, this is only $5.78.”
Customer: “Yes, exact change.”
Me: “I said $5.87. You’ve switched the numbers.”
Customer: “…”
Me: “No biggie. Just nine more cents, please. I can do that simple math because I learned it in high school.”
Such cosmic-alignment karma had never happened before or has ever happened since, but in that brief moment, as he silently and angrily counted out nine more cents, my victory was absolute.
