I think she was trying to perform a Jedi mind trick

[CarcinogenCrunchies]

A woman pulls up to a gas pump and spends an inordinate amount of time around her car, opening all the doors and the trunk to rummage around inside. Occasionally she stops everything to stare into the store at me. I figure she is filling our garbage can with trash from her car and/or trying to attempt a drive-off, but when she finally approaches the store her arms are full of empty beer cans. An exiting customer holds open the door for her and before she reaches it, I call out to her.

ME: I'm sorry, we don't take cans here.
Creepy Non-Customer: Yes, you do.
ME: Uh...no, we don't.
CNC: When did that start?
ME: It has been a few years or so, I guess. There is a redemption center at (address).
She eyes me for a moment, sighs dramatically and takes the cans back to her car. I figure that's the end of it and I go back to my work, but a moment later, she returns.

CNC: I know this station takes cans.
ME: Maybe you're thinking of (other station) on the next street over.
CNC: No, I brought them here before.
ME: It would have been quite awhile ago, if you did. Do you need directions to the redemption center?
CNC: My car needs gas. It can't go anywhere until I put gas in it.
ME: I'm sorry. You can leave it here for awhile if you need to, but you'll have to move it to the end of the lot so other people can use the pumps.
CNC: You're lying! I KNOW you take cans here.
ME: Look, I'm telling you that we don't. If you are not getting gas, you will have to move your car. If it stays there, it will be towed.
CNC: Well, I guess it's going to have to get towed no matter what.
ME: Okay....would you like me to call a tow truck for you?
CNC: No!! I don't want my car to be towed!
ME: Then I don't know what I can do for you.

CNC lowers her sunglasses and perches them on the end of her nose, training her crazy eyes on me and speaking in a slow, quiet voice.

CNC: I remember.
ME: <confused> You remember what?
CNC: I remember.
ME: Okay...
CNC: I remember. We DO take cans here.
ME: WE take cans here?
CNC: Yes, WE do.
ME: Okay, you're starting to scare me. You need to buy something or leave.
CNC: How am I scaring you? What am I doing?
ME: Do I need to call the police?
CNC: I'm standing here with my arms folded, asking you a simple question.

I reach for the phone.

CNC: Fine. I will leave. You win. (She walks to the door, then turns back to me.) This time.

So, I guess she had enough gas to get somewhere after all, because I didn't see her again. Also, it struck me later that all of the cans she wanted to redeem were loose beer cans that she had apparently collected from the floorboards of her car.

[barainga]

Also, it struck me later that all of the cans she wanted to redeem were loose beer cans that she had apparently collected from the floorboards of her car.

This scares. I buy beer nearly every night I get off work. I would never pop one open on the way home. Albeit I live like 2 mins from the station in bad weather if I hit every light.. but still.

[mjr]

CNC lowers her sunglasses and perches them on the end of her nose, training her crazy eyes on me and speaking in a slow, quiet voice.

CNC: I remember.
ME: <confused> You remember what?
CNC: I remember.
ME: Okay...
CNC: I remember. We DO take cans here.
ME: WE take cans here?

You: This is not the gas station you're looking for...
CNC: This isn't the gas station I'm looking for.

Remember...the Jedi mind trick works both ways. ;-)

[EricKei]

mjr - True, but only if the subject you are trying to affect HAS a mind in the first place...

[blas]

When I worked at the gas station, I hate, hate, HATED people who pulled the "I KNOW you sell x here!" or "You always USED to sell x here", and they were so damn adament that they were right. Most of the time, I swear, they had no idea what store they were at and were too proud of themselves to admit they were wrong.

Look, I'm a total Midwestern gal. I'm of Nordic descent, and all the pride and stubborness that comes with it. However, my pride is a little different in the sense that I DO care if I look like a fucking moron, so I'm never afraid to ask a question or admit I don't know something.

Oh, since this side dawdle is growing by the minute, kinda like my ass, I'll babble on a little further to say that the people I work with are the type that will fight and argue no matter what, yet think I'm an idiot for asking "stupid" questions.

[Mr Hero]

And if the police did get involved, I'm sure they would have loved to see the empty beer cans in her car.

[PepperElf]

CNC: I'm standing here with my arms folded, asking you a simple question.

No. She already asked the question - she just doesn't like the answer.

[An Haddock]

I sense something... a presence I have not felt since...

the last idiot customer I dealt with.

[taxguykarl]

Remember the mind trick only works on the weak-minded. Yes, I have no doubt that police would have some questions about all those empty beer cans in a car

[emax4]

Good thing she didn't come to my hometown... "WHADDYA MEAN? There was a building here thirty years ago.. where did it move to?"

[sirwired]

I cannot stand all the "Consumer Advocacy" websites that insist the Jedi Mind Trick is a viable way of trying to get your way. While I'm sure it has been known to work, somewhere, at some time, it's far more likely to just piss off whomever it is you are dealing with.

I have a customer that's been trying to "Mind Trick" me for the past week now... it's already beyond annoying.

[MadMike]

You should have told her you were a Toydarian, and that mind tricks don't work on you.

[PepperElf]

Although one of my friends (J) tried the JMT on a girl he liked (S)…

J: <waves hand> You want to go out with me.
S: Sure!

He liked to joke that the Jedi Mind Trick worked for him. Especially now that they've been married for over a year.

[blas]

I doubt cops are even phased by people with cars full of beer cans anymore these days. At least in good old Cheeselandia.

[EricKei]

You should have told her you were a Toydarian, and that mind tricks don't work on you.

I prefer the Yuuzhan Vong (sp?) -- Immune to mind tricks AND they can f*@% your shit up