As a single mom, I’ve recently been forced to take a second job at as a cashier at Walmart. I don’t mind it most days. It’s fairly brainless work.
Two weeks ago, I was working a busy Saturday when I noticed a commotion in my lane. There was a gentleman, mid 30’s with a child in tow, pitching a fit. I couldn’t really determine what the problem was because he was about two people back, but I braced myself because I figured he was going to be a doozy.
And that he was. I wasn’t even finished with the customer just ahead of him when he started yelling at me. Apparently someone had spilled a container of cottage cheese in my lane and hadn’t said anything to me.
Admittedly that’s pretty gross. I hadn’t been out to check my lane in a good while, so it was possible it had been there an hour or so and no-one felt the need to tell me.
I apologized over and over again while this man yelled at me about how this was the most disgusting, un-hygienic place he’d ever set foot in and then he demanded a manager.
So I paged a CSS (who was slooooow to get there, of course) and continued to patiently listen to this man verbally batter me and my employer. The lady behind him, and the man behind her watched on in amazement. I figured it was just their first experience with the joys of being a lowly cashier.
After about 3 or 4 minutes the CSS finally shows his face and tries to reason with the guy. For once, taking my side and explaining that we’ve been incredibly busy for a Saturday and apologizing profusely as well. That isn’t enough for this dude. He wants a container of cottage cheese -the largest one we have – and he wants it for free. After a another minute of discussion, the CSS concedes and goes and gets it for him while I cleaned up the mess and sent the man on his merry way.
The next lady comes forth, and as I launch into my standard apology, she leans forward and says “I think you should know, that man’s kid was messing with the seal on the container of cottage cheese and dropped it. THAT’S how the frickin’ thing got spilled!”
Then it was my turn to look on in amazement. The dude’s kid was responsible for the mess, and instead of teaching him to do the responsible thing, the man was the prime example of how to be a jerk.
