Some people just can’t handle doing things for themselves.

So, what would you do if you were helping out a coworker during a busy shift, only to have a customer suddenly act like you owe them your full attention just because you happened to start bagging their groceries? Would you drop everything to keep them happy? Or would you remind them they’re capable of finishing the job themselves?

In today’s story, one employee deals with this exact customer and opts for the latter. Here’s what happened.

I thought he was joking

I’ve posted a couple of stories from my grocery store days, but here’s one from my later retail days.

I was working one of the bigger checkout lanes, and we were short on baggers that day. So, another cashier and were helping each other bag between our own customers.

I was helping her bag a certain order when I got a customer. She was almost done ringing up items anyway, so I went back to my lane.

She tried to explain it to him.

The guy and I had been joking around the entire time until I moved to go back to my lane.

Guy: “Where do you think you’re going? You’re not done bagging my groceries.”

I laughed along, thinking he was joking, until I saw his deadpan expression and that one vein in his forehead starting to bulge.

Me: “Well, sir, seeing how we’re shorthanded, I was helping you and the cashier out. I have another customer waiting for me, so have a good day.”

Fed up, she put him in his place.

Guy: “Excuse me? You started bagging these groceries, and I expect you to finish them.”

It was one of those moments when I debated how badly I actually needed this job and decided to go for it.

Me: “I’m sorry you feel that way, but if you need to have your groceries bagged right now, you have two functional arms and are more than capable of finishing the job. Again, have a good day.”

He sputtered, but he did finish bagging his own groceries and left rather quickly.

Wow! Saying something like that to a customer doesn’t always end well.

Let’s see what the folks over at Reddit think about it.

For this person, they don’t want baggers.

Here’s a reader who has never had a bagger for groceries.

This reader is happy she chose principles over what’s expected.

According to this reader, customers constantly complain about no longer having baggers.

This guy was so rude.

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.