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Customer bagged his own stuff at my register. He bought some soda six packs and other misc stuff and tossed them into a single bag. He immediately dropped the bag. Lots of 'fizzing' noise started coming from the bag, along with a puff of vapor. I assumed the soda cans had burst. Too soften his embarrassment, I let out a lighthearted chuckle and said, "Don't worry, we'll take care of it. It happens." He gave me a mean look, wrapped his arms around the bag and ran out the door full speed. I wasn't sure what had just happened. I thought he might have taken my comment wrong, so I followed him out to offer help.
He was standing just outside the door, with the bag on the ground. That's when I figured it out. He had also purchased a box of matches, and they had begun to ignite. He gave me a mean look again. I don't know if he was mad at me for some reason, mad at himself, or just embarrassed. Anyway, I found myself uttering a sentence I never thought I'd have to say. "I'm sorry sir. I didn't know your groceries were on fire." He gave me that mean look again, rolled his eyes, and muttered an obscenity. I didn't want him taking out his frustrations on me, so I went back in and left him alone with his smoking bag.
He was standing just outside the door, with the bag on the ground. That's when I figured it out. He had also purchased a box of matches, and they had begun to ignite. He gave me a mean look again. I don't know if he was mad at me for some reason, mad at himself, or just embarrassed. Anyway, I found myself uttering a sentence I never thought I'd have to say. "I'm sorry sir. I didn't know your groceries were on fire." He gave me that mean look again, rolled his eyes, and muttered an obscenity. I didn't want him taking out his frustrations on me, so I went back in and left him alone with his smoking bag.
I had about 20 strike-anywhere matches ignite in my front right jeans pocket when I tripped in the snow running over to my BFF's to check out his XMas loot. Still have two scars on my leg 60 years later.
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