ID'ing Creepy McCreeperson

[BrenDAnn]

What a night. I know Fridays are normally wild at C-Store, but WOW. At around 6, 6:30 or so, a guy came in wanting to buy a couple of those 16 ounce aluminum bottles of beer. Being a diligent clerk and wanting to keep my job and avoid jail time and/or fines, I of course asked for ID. Guy rattles off his birthdate. No sale. Gotta have ID. He sighs, kind of blinks, and just looks at me for a minute, then says how this world is funny. I apologize, and he says he'll get his beer elsewhere. Fine. No problem. He leaves, and I don't think much more about it as I put the beer back in the cooler. Oh, but that's not the end. No. He comes back in a few minutes later, claiming he "just has to use the restroom". I point him toward the bathroom, and he goes to use it. About that time, I get busy. The entire time I'm waiting on people, I notice the guy, henceforth known as Creepy McCreeperson, or CMC, circling the store. He wanders around, and ends up leaning on the back endcap of the aisle in front of me, watching me. At this point, I'm nervous. This guy had that creepy 'I'm gonna do something and it's gonna be bad' kinda vibe. The kinda vibe that guys that go off the deep end and hurt people have. Once I'm free of customers, he comes to the front, and the following conversation happens. My thoughts in italics.

CMC: *standing at front the end of of the aisles, looking at me* It's the law, right? I know. It's fine.
ME: *nods, lays hand on cordless phone that I grabbed while watching him circle the store*
CMC: I mean, you don't need to be scared. It's fine.
ME: Because circling my store and hiding behind the aisles isn't creepy or scary AT ALL. Mmhmm.
CMC: It's just funny, you know...I look young, right? Is that what it is? I look young?
ME: *still with left hand on cordless phone* Yeah, you do
CMC: Oh. It's cool. Thanks for the compliment, but I'm gonna be 23 in August...this August...*goes on and on* I have a fishing license...and work ID...other form of government issued ID. Want to see?
ME: As long as you don't pull anything deadly from your pocket... Um...sure...
CMC: *walks up to counter, takes out wallet, shows me his work ID and fishing license* See. That's me. I work there. *points to name and address on fishing license, reads them off* I still can't buy a beer though.
ME: No. that's not a PHOTO ID, you creep No, sorry.
CMC: Yeah this world has gone to hell...I can't even get a drink...There are cameras watching me....*holds up work ID* There's probably a tracking device in here or something *goes on and on and on*
ME: *silently listening, hand on phone*
CMC: *after a few moments silence* Yeah, I have nothing better to do, so I'm just standing here, talking to you, trying to get a reaction out of you.
ME: *sooo wanting to call the cops* Oh great. You're trolling me. GO HOME.
CMC: *after walkiung away a bit* Yeah, I ran out of painkillers. I broke my leg and *something about pins and stuff holding it together* Don't ever break anything. It hurts.
ME: You don't say. I never would've guessed that!
CMC: Yeah, so I drink the beer and go to sleep...Yeah, don't break anything...Then you get a...an alcohol addiction, or something
ME: And you've gone WAY beyond creepy now...PLEASE go home and pass out or something Actually, I don't drink. My mother nearly died of alcoholism when I was five.
CMC: Oh...Wow...yeah, I can understand that. Was she pretty deep into it?
ME: Yeah, she was.
CMC: Oh *goes on and on for a few minutes, notices my name tag* BrenDAnn...I'm Creepy. *goes on and on and ON, then finally* Well, I'd better get going. It was nice meeting you, BrenDAnn. You have a nice evening.
ME: Uh uh...You too Yes, please, GO you fucking creepy bastard!

So, he leaves, thank the gods. I shook for a few minutes after, and was shaken up by the whole thing for most of the rest of the night. I know, I know, it's a bitch being ID'd. Most people complain, then move on. This guy chose to completely creep me the fuck out. Why? I don't know. He claimed he was "just tired" but I swear he was either on something, or so depressed that it had him completely out of it. Either way, he was creepy, to the point of almost being scary, and I really, REALLY hope he doesn't come back to the store. Ever.

TL;DR: Creepy guy came in for beer, and after being ID'd proceeded to ramble on and completely freak me out. *shudders*

[Rena_Muffin]

Creeeeeeeeeeeepy indeed! It's got to be even creepier with the fact there's very little you can do to get him to get the hint you don't want to talk to him. Be careful if he does start lurking around again.

[I am the Lizard Queen!!]

Um......yikes. I was going to post about being called a bitch by a customer tonight but at least I was never worried my skin was going to end up as a lampshade!
Are you always alone on your shifts? maybe you shouldn't be....

[KiaKat]

You are under no obligation to talk to someone who is creeping you out like that.

If you are alone in the store, come up with something to do that keeps you behind the counter and half-distracted (sorting cigs, wiping down counters, reorganizing signs, etc). He is not buying anything, therefore he is not a customer, and therefore you do not have to interact with him. You are not his entertainment, and he has no privileges with you. You do not have to tell him that you don't drink, and especially the reasons why. That simply gives him an in so he can continue to draw more info out of you for his own purposes.

I have a basic rule, one developed over the years of working in liquor: Do not engage the crazy more than you have to in order to complete a sale. If they're not buying something, don't engage them at all.

Having cameras is a good thing for basic security, and to have evidence after the fact, but they won't do any good during the commission of a crime. Don't be afraid to ask someone to leave if they're giving you bad vibes. Be firm, confident, and say "sir, you are not buying anything here tonight. You need to leave now." If he continues, or if he raises his voice, continue speaking calmly and confidently, "sir, I've asked you to leave. You can either do so on your own, or I can call the police to come escort you out of here." Practice it in your head until it becomes second nature.

Another good thing for c-store workers to do is to get direct lines to patrolmen who frequent your store. Sometimes, if you can bypass the 911 system in favour of an officer who knows you and likes you, the response time to a non-violent situation is faster.

Please, be safe. Someone's feelings, a sale, or the risk of being yelled at is not worth your life, safety, and sanity.

[BrenDAnn]

Wow, thank you, Kia Kat. I'll remember that. Lizard Queen, yes, I am, until eight at night, when night clean-up comes in. It's fucked up, but I think the only hours C-Store corporate requires more than one person to be there are 5A to 8A and 8P to close. Of course, in the bigger, busier location I started at (and worked almost ten years at), that was never an issue. There was always someone there working in the kitchen or second register. This store is smaller, no kitchen except breakfast, so therefore only extra people there early morning and late night. Last night was the first time I'd ever been creeped out/scared there. I should reiterate, in case it wasn't clear, I had my left hand around the cordless phone that I had sitting beside me, out of his view, the entire time, ready to call for help if needed.

[XCashier]

You are under no obligation to talk to someone who is creeping you out like that....Please, be safe. Someone's feelings, a sale, or the risk of being yelled at is not worth your life, safety, and sanity.

QFT. KiaKat's got some extremely good advice; take it to heart.

Too many women have been raised to be polite and demure and never make the man angry, and that is precisely what the creeps are counting on; you being too polite to make a scene, call the police or throw the jerk out.

If your gut is sending out red flags and five-alarm-bells (which your post indicated), it is telling you that the person you are dealing with is up to no good. You are not obligated to be polite to him or entertain him; your first priority is your own safety.

[RealUnimportant]

I agree with the majority of KiaKat's spiel, but I'm not sure about the declaration of involving law enforcement when you're in an open store environment. Where I can make (and have done) calls to the police while being stared down or sworn at, but I'm behind a rather thick sheet of safety glass; there's little they can do to stop me completing the call.

Do you have a silent alarm trigger at your counter? Hell, a noisy alarm trigger may work even better to scare them away! Or even try practicing dialing 911 (other emergency numbers are available) with the phone out of your sightline, under the counter for example. If the operators can hear your situation, then can work out where you are & send help even while you're keeping the idiot distracted...

[Estil]

I think the no ID guy clearly has had enough beers already... :P

[BrenDAnn]

No silent alarm, unfortunately. Gods do I wish there would've been one, though. Had he made a move to threaten me in any way, I would've had 911 dialed immediately, trust me. I do appreciate all the advice being given though!

ETA: No glass on the counters, either, RU. As a matter of fact, I don't recall seeing that anywhere around here...maybe in a bigger city, but...Not in the chain I work for, I don't think.

[EricKei]

They don't even have more than one person there...? o_O Even at a c-store, I would think the absolute minimum staffing would be one worker and one keyholder/"manager in name only" at the same time >_< Yeesh.

[Jester]

See, I can understand people getting peeved about being carded when they are, say, 35, 40, 50, whatever. But the people who are barely of age and act like they are ancient? Really? They need to shut the fuck up and pull their heads out of their asses.

CMC: Oh. It's cool. Thanks for the compliment, but I'm gonna be 23 in August...

Yeah, 23....the old fogie.

I had to deal with a real bitch years ago in Phoenix. I was waiting tables, and this one table ordered drinks, and all of them looked rather youngish, so I asked for IDs.

BITCH: "I don't have my ID."
ME: (very politely) I'm sorry ma'am, but I won't be able to serve you any alcohol without ID. May I get you something else?"
BITCH: (real snotty tone) "Well I'M 23!"
ME: (no longer being polite) "Well then YOU should have ID!"

And that was the end of that.

Yeah, I ran out of painkillers. I broke my leg and *something about pins and stuff holding it together*

Clearly nothing holding his brain together though.

[BrenDAnn]

Oh, but EricKei, that would give them one more person on duty to not trust. Oh...did I say that? Oops. Truth hurts.

Jester, I had that same thought when he sais he was 23. Also, your birthdate is NOT a valid form of ID. Hey, I could rattle off random birthdates too. Big deal. Doesn't mean they're legit! What makes that funny/worse/whichever is that he was the second one in, oh, half hour or so to try and pull that on me. The other at least caught herself, said her ID was in the car, and asked if she needed to go get it. Um...Yes, yes you do, if you'd like these cigarettes you just asked me for.

[KatherineB]

No silent alarm, unfortunately. Gods do I wish there would've been one, though. Had he made a move to threaten me in any way, I would've had 911 dialed immediately, trust me. I do appreciate all the advice being given though!

I hate to say things that might scare you more, but from what you said, that guy knew exactly what you were trying to do and if he had wanted to attack you, I doubt you would have got more than the '9' dialled before he managed it. You need to talk to your manager now about getting some sort of alarm installed to avoid situations like that in the future.

[Bright_Star]

I would have told him "Either you get out NOW or I'm calling the cops". IF my instincts are SCREAMING at me that the individual in question doesn't give off a good vibe then I'm gonna be "better safe than sorry" & act accordingly.

[Jester]

Also, your birthdate is NOT a valid form of ID.

And yet I get that all the freakin' time. From people who have ID and from people who don't have ID. A lot of time when I card someone, they'll hand me their ID, and as I'm looking it over, they'll spout out their birthday. That's just great, Sparky. I still need to actually see it myself, thank you very much. It's even more amusing, as you know, when they DON'T have ID and they do that. "Oh, I don't have it with my, but my birthday is 11/23/87." Great. I'm happy for you. Problem is, I actually need to SEE that on your ID, genius. You telling me? Ain't cutting it. Because, for the 48455
81323468654th time, Florida law doesn't really allow me to take your word for it.

I would have told him "Either you get out NOW or I'm calling the cops".

I agree and disagree. See, I think she definitely should have gotten the creeper to leave, but I think she should have done it more politely and less bluntly than you suggested. "Well, sir, if there's nothing else I can get for you, you have a good day." This has politely ended the conversation and left the creeper no real reason to stay. It also doesn't smack him in the face verbally, perhaps exacerbating a situation or setting him off. Now, if the polite version doesn't work, obviously you can gradually move to more obvious dismissal techniques, but the "get out now or I'm calling the cops" should not be the first dismissal if she is actually trying to avoid an incident and not provoke him. Just a thought.