Why Do People Think This Is Okay, Employee Or Not?!

I worked at an American Chinese fast food chain during my senior year. I didn’t turn eighteen until a few months after graduating high school, but my parents “allowed me” more freedom than most in my circumstance.

There was a [Retail Chain] next to where I worked, and I often stopped by to pick up snacks or sodas before work. Because my work shirt was red, I often got mistaken for a [Retail Chain] employee, but nothing like this.

One particular summer day, I went to [Retail Chain] while on break to buy a new water bottle as I had accidentally broken mine during my shift and wanted to get it replaced. Corporate was really stingy and deducted money from our checks if we used the cups at work, and it was hot outside, so it was better to get a cheap replacement and a snack while on break.

While I was wandering the store with plenty of time to spare, I noticed that someone was following me. At first, I thought it was a coincidence, but after the fifth detour aisle, I realized she was following me. Being only seventeen, I was actually a bit nervous. I finally mustered up the courage to face her.

Me: “Can I help you with something?”

Woman: “It’s about time! I’ve been trying to get your attention for forever now.”

I often wore headphones as I had severe social anxiety and didn’t like being in public areas that were crowded like this.

Me: “Well, can I help you or…?”

Woman: “Is that how you treat your customers? Talk about poor customer service.”

I was genuinely confused until I realized that she, like so many people before her, had confused me for a [Retail Chain] worker DESPITE the fact that I had a giant panda on the back of my shirt along with the company name. These types of encounters were normally pretty easy, but this lady wasn’t having it.

Me: “Ma’am, I don’t work here.”

Woman: “DON’T GO LYING TO ME LIKE THAT! HOW DUMB DO YOU THINK I AM?!”

At this point, we had attracted the attention of a few employees, who called for their supervisor. As I tried to reason with this lady, the supervisor showed up and took over the conversation.

Supervisor: “Is there a problem here?”

Woman: “This employee is walking around and ignoring customers. She was extremely rude to me, and I want her fired.”

The supervisor looked at me and saw the [Fast Food Chain] logo on my shirt.

Supervisor: “Ma’am, she doesn’t work here.”

Woman: “ARE YOU CALLING ME STUPID?!”

At this point, she started toward me. I backed away, trying to hide behind the supervisor while struggling to understand what her problem was. She reached around the supervisor and grabbed a fistful of my shirt before either of us was able to react. She tugged so hard at my shirt that it almost slipped over my head, and I started crying at this point.

Woman: “SEE?! SHE’S WEARING A RED SHIRT, SO SHE MUST BE AN EMPLOYEE HERE! I WANT HER FIRED!”

Me: “Let go of me, please!”

Thankfully, one of my mom’s friends happened to be shopping that day with her kids. She saw this woman holding me by the shirt, immediately walked up to the woman with her kids (one of whom was my age) in tow, and grabbed the woman by the arm.

Mom’s Friend: “What on Earth do you think you’re doing? Get your hands off that child now!”

The woman paused for a moment and looked from me to [Mom’s Friend] and back again.

Woman: “She’s not a child. She’s a young adult.”

Me: *Still trying to get free* “I’m seventeen, lady, and for the last time, I don’t work here.”

At this point, you could hear a pin drop from across the room, and I thought that the woman was going to just let go and leave me alone. However, she huffed and looked away.

Woman: “Being seventeen practically makes you an adult. And that’s no excuse to act so rudely.”

The employees and the supervisor had had enough by this point and were already calling the police while my friend (who had seen me bullied all throughout high school) attempted to calm me down.

Mom’s Friend: “Where is your mom?”

Me: “She’s likely at home since I’ve been at work. I came to buy a new water bottle after breaking mine.”

[Mom’s Friend] actually paid for my water bottle. She told me to go back to work so that I wouldn’t get into trouble, but she also warned me that the police might be coming by to talk to me. I didn’t think anything of this and did exactly as she said, knowing that I was never going to hear the end of it from my mom when I got home that night.

As [Mom’s Friend] warned, the police showed up at work later that day and asked a few questions. My boss didn’t seem to mind as I explained what happened as soon as I got back.

I never heard what happened to the woman, but my mom told me not to let an adult grab me like that again as “they could be arrested for assaulting a minor.”