Working in retail has got to be one of those things that really shapes how a person views humanity. The closest I ever got was waiting tables, and honestly, that was more than close enough.

OP was a retail sales manager but on this particular day, had already put in her two weeks notice. Her patience was running on fumes.

I worked at a pretty popular department store for years, and I have to say that the customers this store breeds are the worst of the worst.

This store is probably 90% of the reason that so many customers feel as entitled as they do. (“The cashier had the hiccups, it was incredibly annoying, isn’t there anything you can do for me?” Was an actual honest to God complaint one lady had for me when I was a supervisor.)

So anyway, I was covering a break up at the registers.

I was a supervisor at the time and I had also already given my two weeks notice. I was beyond fed up. It was like spring of my senior year all over again. I had no more cares left.

Then a customer showed up paying more attention to her phone than her transaction, and dropped some unusable coupons on the counter.

So I’m up at the registers, and this lady who couldn’t have been more than 40 comes up with a huge cart full. Anyone who has worked retail, you know this woman.

She’s got The Hair, she’s smacking her gum at me while she talks on the phone, the entire transaction is delayed because I need her to pay and she starts to ignore me because apparently I’m the rude one for interrupting her phone call.

She proceeds to tell the person on the other end “give me a second,” and finally turns to me and says, as if I’m an impatient child testing her last bit of patience, “yes?”

“Here’s your total, ma’am. Do you have any coupons or rewards to use today?”

She nodded, and here is when she drops a few clippings on the counter in front of me, ignoring my outstretched hand, and turns her attention back to her phone. As soon as I look at the coupons, I see that none of them are usable.

She has one that is $10 off your menswear purchase of $50 or more. She has all women’s clothing. The next coupon expired two months ago. Another one doesn’t start for another week, etc etc.

When OP told her she couldn’t use any of them she freaked out.

So I try again to get her attention. She’s just as lovely and accommodating as the last time. She rolls her eyes, tells the person on the phone that she will have to call them back, and gives me another sharp “Yes?”

“Sorry ma’am, this coupon is expired, this one hasn’t started, and this one is only for when you purchase $50 worth of menswear. Do you have any other coupons or rewards?”

She stares at me like I had just called her mother some unsavory name. “UH excuse me, WHAT?”

What could I do but shrug helplessly?

“You have GOT to be kidding me! That is the entire reason I came out here today, to use those coupons! I really can’t use them?? Unbelievable. Some customer service here!” All the while she’s packing her useless coupons back into her purse and glaring scorch marks into my soul.

So, OP smiled and told her that at least she could still have the senior discount – knowing this lady was way too young for that.

Remember I said I was done? My patience before Shopzilla here was already at 0. She tipped the scales. I was officially in the negatives. I had negative cares and negative patience left.

So when she said “you should be ashamed of yourself, being so rude to a customer.” Something in me snapped.

I smiled sweetly at her, mustered up a bright and cheery expression that i usually reserve as my “waitress” face, and said “I’m so sorry you feel that way, ma’am. But on the bright side, since it’s Tuesday I can still apply your senior’s discount! So at least you aren’t losing that one, right?”

It had the desired reaction.

I can’t quite describe her expression. I think she was angry, but I think she was more shocked. And in that state of shock, she sputtered out “I’m not a senior!”

I mimicked her shock, trying to appear horrified by my “accidental” faux pas, and then immediately said “let me take that off of there for you, then!” And promptly took the senior discount off, bumping her total up another $20. “I’m so sorry for the misunderstanding, ma’am.”

Oh boy, she was very angry, but like I said, I think she was more shocked. She seemed a little dumbfounded, she paid, she took her stuff, she left.

And now OP has something to make her smile on those tough days.

I will take that petty moment of satisfaction at her horrified expression to my grave.

(It was even worth the write up that I did end up getting after she called the store and gave my manager a piece of her mind.)

I mean, what’s the downside here?

Not a one for OP, as far as I can tell.

This person has a story that’s almost as good, honestly.

Everyone in retail has a ton of stories.

And they’re all so creative!

In case you were wondering…

Everyone gets the vibe that this is definitely Kohls.

Yep, this just confirms it.

I do not have the patience or the creativity to work retail.