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I don't usually have grouchy or rude people go through my line (lucky me! 
), but this time I've managed to get a couple. They're mild, but worth telling.
Bad Timing on Your Part, Bud
On this day, our manager up front was G, who is named such because she's usually the grocery manager. She doesn't like working registers much, but she does her job good for someone who doesn't like it.
Up comes a man with two individually wrapped icecream treats. I instantly realize that they're supposed to be in a box, since they have no label, UPC, or general mark of purchase. So I put on my 'politely confused', face and tell him the bad news. Now this has been a while, so I'm not sure if I spoke first, or if he did, but the words are all the same.
Me: I'm sorry, this icecream is supposed to be in a box, not individually sold.
Man: I know! But someone took the rest out of the box and I was wondering if I could just buy them like this.
Me: (Yeah right, buddy. Not gonna happen.) That's unfortunate, but I can't do that. Would you like me to get a manager to see what we can do about this?
Man: Yes, please.
(G comes up after I call for assistance, and after seeing the guy, gives me a funny look)
G: What can I help you with?
Me: Someone apparently opened up a couple boxes of icecream and took some, and he wants to buy what's left. *points to the two treats*
G: Sorry, we can't do that. Just throw them away.
This is where I get confused. Usually we just put the items in a bag as 'evidence', but I guess since it's icecream it makes more sense since it would just melt. She's also more abrupt than normal. It doesn't bother me, but does get me curious. I find out why later.
Me:
Are you sure we don't keep them for evidence or anything like that?
G: Nope, just toss it. And if you want individual icecream, they sell them at the snack bar. (to her credit she doesn't yell at me for asking a stupid question)
Man: *dramatically and somewhat jokingly* Okay! I did it! Arrest me!
Me: Sorry about that, sir, it's just that I don't know what's running through Corporate's head sometimes, so I just like to make sure and double check. I didn't say you did it.
So he leaves to buy an icecream from the snack bar, and G tells me that he opened the boxes and took out the icecream on his own. She could tell because she had to go back to the backroom near the freezer section and he had asked if there were any individual packs. Back luck on his part, because we wouldn't have known it was him if she wasn't back there!
There's Always That One Kid
Now I know that some kids are tired, grouchy, and just plain don't want to be there, and as a cashier I expect that. I also see plenty of sleeping, and happily awake children who behave perfectly fine. This kid doesn't misbehave, but BOY is he annoying. You see, from what I have gathered, his mother didn't teach him about indoor voices and when to use them. She also didn't teach him to not beg and plead for candy. Thing is, I'm USED to kids doing that. But his case, just...ugh. I'll give you a snippet.
"MAH-MUH, WE'RE AT LANE NUMBER FIVE"
"Uh-huh, sweety..."
"MAH-MUH, I WANT CANDY" *points to gum*
"No, you're not getting gum. You can get candy."
"MAH-MUH, I WANT GUM. MAH-MUH."
And whenever he screeched 'MAH-MUH', it was so high-pitched that I had to grate my teeth and cringe. He'd 'call' to his mother over everything, all with his loud voice and lack of manners. And mom would mostly just ignore him... Wonder why he shouts, huh? She comes in pretty often, and once was checking out when a manager was in my line buying something. The look of 'wtf am I hearing?' on her face was priceless. It made me feel better about dealing with it.
Sir, We're Not the Manners Police
This one surprised me, but I have no doubt that it was an exaggeration. An older couple came through my line and after my general 'How are you doing?', mumbled back a threat I haven't heard in a while.
Man: If you guys keep up with what you're doing, we're not going to shop here again. We had a lady cut in front of us, and give my wife a nasty look! You should have more security!
Oooh, they 'cut in front of you'? I wasn't aware that we had so LITTLE room in our store aisles! We're not talking about someone cutting in line ahead of them to the register (which I can prevent), but IN STORE, as in, walking around. And I'm pretty sure we don't control what other people do. Besides, what are you going to do if you 'quit' our store? Go to Malwart? The shoppers there are SO much nicer! Regardless, damage control...
Me: I'm sorry about that! We only have one Security Officer, and usually he's only here during the weekends. Would you like to speak to a manager about this?
Man: No! They're just going to tell us that they can't do anything! Useless! I'm going to contact *Home State Store* and have your manager see the complaint, THEN things will change! If not, I'm not coming back here again!
Me: (If you don't want to accept my help, then FINE) Sorry about that...I hope you have a great day.
After that, he just sorta left with his wife after paying. I've debated telling my managers, but they'd tell me that they're just a bunch of nutcases who expect us to be everywhere at once. My managers all (thankfully) have a bunch of common sense, and know that we're not here to be The Politeness Police, so maybe, just maybe, I'll tell one of them if I meet up with them. Just for the lulz.
Nice Try, Squirt
Had two kids come through my line. One holds a can of cat food up to me.
"Do you know if this would taste good with Mountain Dew?"
I tried to reply, but the 'prank' was so lame that I couldn't even play along! I just told them that while I'm a cat enthusiast, *I* don't even like cats that much! His friend told him to stop while he was ahead.
), but this time I've managed to get a couple. They're mild, but worth telling.Bad Timing on Your Part, Bud
On this day, our manager up front was G, who is named such because she's usually the grocery manager. She doesn't like working registers much, but she does her job good for someone who doesn't like it.
Up comes a man with two individually wrapped icecream treats. I instantly realize that they're supposed to be in a box, since they have no label, UPC, or general mark of purchase. So I put on my 'politely confused', face and tell him the bad news. Now this has been a while, so I'm not sure if I spoke first, or if he did, but the words are all the same.
Me: I'm sorry, this icecream is supposed to be in a box, not individually sold.
Man: I know! But someone took the rest out of the box and I was wondering if I could just buy them like this.
Me: (Yeah right, buddy. Not gonna happen.) That's unfortunate, but I can't do that. Would you like me to get a manager to see what we can do about this?
Man: Yes, please.
(G comes up after I call for assistance, and after seeing the guy, gives me a funny look)
G: What can I help you with?
Me: Someone apparently opened up a couple boxes of icecream and took some, and he wants to buy what's left. *points to the two treats*
G: Sorry, we can't do that. Just throw them away.
This is where I get confused. Usually we just put the items in a bag as 'evidence', but I guess since it's icecream it makes more sense since it would just melt. She's also more abrupt than normal. It doesn't bother me, but does get me curious. I find out why later.
Me:
Are you sure we don't keep them for evidence or anything like that?G: Nope, just toss it. And if you want individual icecream, they sell them at the snack bar. (to her credit she doesn't yell at me for asking a stupid question)
Man: *dramatically and somewhat jokingly* Okay! I did it! Arrest me!
Me: Sorry about that, sir, it's just that I don't know what's running through Corporate's head sometimes, so I just like to make sure and double check. I didn't say you did it.
So he leaves to buy an icecream from the snack bar, and G tells me that he opened the boxes and took out the icecream on his own. She could tell because she had to go back to the backroom near the freezer section and he had asked if there were any individual packs. Back luck on his part, because we wouldn't have known it was him if she wasn't back there!
There's Always That One Kid
Now I know that some kids are tired, grouchy, and just plain don't want to be there, and as a cashier I expect that. I also see plenty of sleeping, and happily awake children who behave perfectly fine. This kid doesn't misbehave, but BOY is he annoying. You see, from what I have gathered, his mother didn't teach him about indoor voices and when to use them. She also didn't teach him to not beg and plead for candy. Thing is, I'm USED to kids doing that. But his case, just...ugh. I'll give you a snippet.
"MAH-MUH, WE'RE AT LANE NUMBER FIVE"
"Uh-huh, sweety..."
"MAH-MUH, I WANT CANDY" *points to gum*
"No, you're not getting gum. You can get candy."
"MAH-MUH, I WANT GUM. MAH-MUH."
And whenever he screeched 'MAH-MUH', it was so high-pitched that I had to grate my teeth and cringe. He'd 'call' to his mother over everything, all with his loud voice and lack of manners. And mom would mostly just ignore him... Wonder why he shouts, huh? She comes in pretty often, and once was checking out when a manager was in my line buying something. The look of 'wtf am I hearing?' on her face was priceless. It made me feel better about dealing with it.
Sir, We're Not the Manners Police
This one surprised me, but I have no doubt that it was an exaggeration. An older couple came through my line and after my general 'How are you doing?', mumbled back a threat I haven't heard in a while.
Man: If you guys keep up with what you're doing, we're not going to shop here again. We had a lady cut in front of us, and give my wife a nasty look! You should have more security!
Oooh, they 'cut in front of you'? I wasn't aware that we had so LITTLE room in our store aisles! We're not talking about someone cutting in line ahead of them to the register (which I can prevent), but IN STORE, as in, walking around. And I'm pretty sure we don't control what other people do. Besides, what are you going to do if you 'quit' our store? Go to Malwart? The shoppers there are SO much nicer! Regardless, damage control...
Me: I'm sorry about that! We only have one Security Officer, and usually he's only here during the weekends. Would you like to speak to a manager about this?
Man: No! They're just going to tell us that they can't do anything! Useless! I'm going to contact *Home State Store* and have your manager see the complaint, THEN things will change! If not, I'm not coming back here again!
Me: (If you don't want to accept my help, then FINE) Sorry about that...I hope you have a great day.
After that, he just sorta left with his wife after paying. I've debated telling my managers, but they'd tell me that they're just a bunch of nutcases who expect us to be everywhere at once. My managers all (thankfully) have a bunch of common sense, and know that we're not here to be The Politeness Police, so maybe, just maybe, I'll tell one of them if I meet up with them. Just for the lulz.
Nice Try, Squirt
Had two kids come through my line. One holds a can of cat food up to me.
"Do you know if this would taste good with Mountain Dew?"
I tried to reply, but the 'prank' was so lame that I couldn't even play along! I just told them that while I'm a cat enthusiast, *I* don't even like cats that much! His friend told him to stop while he was ahead.
But he was so nervous that he wrecked his own prank, lawl.
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