Will Need More Than A Mouth Guard To Protect Against Her

Peewee football is just getting started in my end of Nebraska. I work in a small screen printing shop that also sells sporting equipment. When I say small, I mean small; there are only four employees total when everyone is here.

Currently, we seem to be the only ones in our little town who have any football helmets, shoulder pads, and mouth guards. Even what we have is limited, so when people ask us to hold back equipment, we limit it to a twenty-four-hour hold.

We have a set of shoulder pads and pants held back for a customer. She manages to make it to the store about five minutes before we close. She also announces that she needs to get a mouth guard because her kid doesn’t know where his is and he has practice tonight.

I direct her to the mouth guards and start explaining the differences between the different options we have.

Customer: “So, do I have to boil these and mold them?”

Me: “Yes. These mouth guards are really only effective when they have been correctly molded to the teeth. Not having them molded could cause more issues.”

Customer: “Well, I don’t have time for that! He has practice tonight! This is just a waste when he has one at home. He just can’t find it!”

She picks up another mouth guard that boldly says, “FOR BRACES.”

Customer: “Well, this one doesn’t look like it needs to be molded!”

Me: “That one is for braces. Does he have braces?”

Customer: “No! This is such a waste. He has one at home!”

I put the mouth guard back as she wanders off to look at the rest of our inventory. She finally comes back up to the checkout counter and I complete her credit card transaction for the shoulder pads and pants. Afterward, she is studying her receipt, still standing at the counter.  

Customer: “WHERE IS THE MOUTH GUARD?! WHY DIDN’T YOU CHARGE ME FOR A MOUTH GUARD?! DIDN’T YOU HAVE ONE IN YOUR HAND WHEN YOU CAME UP HERE?! I NEED A MOUTH GUARD FOR HIM!”

Me: “I apologize, ma’am. I thought you had decided against purchasing one, since you thought he had one at home.”

Customer: “BUT I DON’T KNOW WHERE THAT ONE IS! AT LEAST IF HE TAKES ONE TO PRACTICE THE COACH WILL KNOW HE HAS ONE!”

Me: “Okay, ma’am. I will grab one for you.”

I walk over and grab the mouth guard we had been looking at and bring it back up to the sales counter. Keep in mind, she paid over $80 on a credit card for the shoulder pads and pants.

Customer: “WELL, IT’S A GOOD THING I HAD CASH IN MY PHONE CASE TO PAY FOR THIS ONE!”

Me: “Yes, ma’am. This is your total and here is your change. Have a wonderful rest of your night.”