When The Card Says No But The Heart Says Yes

I work closing shift at a grocery store as a cashier. One night, a mother and her baby come in. I start ringing through what she has, some necessities like a toothbrush and feminine products and a few random food items.

Me: “That will be $19.”

She gives me her card, but it declines.

Customer: “Oh, can I call my bank? I thought I had enough on there.”

It’s late at night, and all the banks are closed. These are necessities. I don’t want to deny her these things, especially when it’s under twenty bucks. I also don’t want to do anything that could be seen as theft or anything like that.

In trying to find solutions we get to talking a bit.

Turns out she was forced from her home in one of the big forest fires around here at the time. So… now I’m determined to help, somehow. I mean, I was wanting to help before, but now that I know how dire that situation is, I wanted to do everything possible to help.

I’m normally pretty broke. But… luck has it that I still have some cash in my wallet from a then-recent birthday. For once I have the cash. So now with this new puzzle piece in play, I have a plan.

Me: “Okay, I looked, and I do have the cash for this. Twenty bucks is a lot of money to me. You said you had the money for it, right?”

Customer: “Do you have a banking app? I can e-transfer you!”

I pull out my phone, we set up the e-transfer. I confirm it’s in my bank and I put my cash in the till. I wish her all the best; I give her a receipt and we smile at each other as we wave goodbye.

Sometimes… it’s not just customer service. Sometimes it goes far beyond company image. It’s just about human decency, compassion, and helping out however you can.