With Friends Like These, Who Needs A Refund?

CONTENT WARNING: Death

I work for a major discount retail chain. An older, put-together woman comes in one morning to do a return. Since she arrives prior to the store opening, I inform her that once my cashier gets in, we will be able to process her return.

Customer: “Do you know how long it will be until they get in?”

Me: “Any minute now, ma’am. It’s 9:00 am, so they should be here shortly.”

Customer: “Oh, okay. I’m kind of in a hurry. Can you help me?”

Me: “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you in a hurry?”

Customer: “My friend is in the car having a stroke and we are on our way to the hospital.”

Me: “Oh, my gosh! Okay, ma’am, if your friend is really having a stroke, then you need to get to the hospital now! I can do a return for you afterward.”

Customer: “Well, you see, I live on the other side of town, and I won’t be back this way since we are going to the hospital, so I’d rather get the return done now.”

Flabbergasted and unsure what else to say to her, I just decide that if she’s already in here, then I’ll just get the return done and get her out as fast as possible. I do the return and get her back her money.

$10.35.

That’s it.

A couple of weeks go by, and I’m making my rounds, checking on associates’ lunches and breaks, when a customer at the register waves at me with the biggest smile. I look up, and guess who it is!

Customer: “Hi! Do you remember me? I’ve been telling everyone about how nice the manager at [Store] is and how much of a help you were!”

Me: “Yes, I do! Hi, how are you? How is your friend doing?”

Customer: *Nonchalantly* “Oh, she died, yeah, about a couple hours after we got to the hospital.”

Me: “Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry to hear that.”

I’m not sure what else to say at this point.

Customer: “Thank you. It’s okay. I hope you have a great rest of your day.”

Me: “Thank you. You, too!”

I proceeded to run to the back and text my managers about the strangest encounter with the old lady before I forgot that this happened due to how bizarre of a casual interaction this was.