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Late-night gas stations can make even ordinary purchases feel unusually…public.

This nervous customer found the one cashier capable of making his request infinitely more awkward: his cousin.

That family connection transformed a whispered order into an unforgettable transaction.

See how professionalism finally cracked.

The quicker you tell me what you want, the less embarrassing it will be.

So over the summer, I worked 3rd shift in a gas station in my hometown, so I knew a lot of the people who came in. One of my favorite interactions was as follows.

I was in the middle of some boring cleaning chore when the little chime rang out, letting me know the front doors had opened.

I walked back to the counter to find my cousin waiting. The moment he saw me, his face dropped, and I could tell what was coming.

Now, I should mention that at my gas station, we keep small, easy-to-steal items behind the counter, such as lighters, 5-hour energy drinks, and *******.

He was too embarrassed to speak loudly.

He will be Mumbling Cousin, MC for short.

MC: Hey, could I get… (Here, he trailed off, and I honestly couldn’t hear him.)

Me: Sorry, what?

He just gives me the death glare for making him repeat the dreaded phrase.

MC: I said… could I get a box of *******?

In the end, they were both left laughing.

We have a few different kinds, so I walk back and ask him which kind he wants.

MC: Just grab a box, I don’t care what kind.

So I checked him out, and while I have remained extremely professional and tried really hard not to laugh at him or make him feel even more awkward, as I handed him the bag, I said my usual “have a good night.”

That set us both off laughing, and he left flipping me off. (Out of familial love, of course.)

Too funny! But what an embarrassing moment.

Let’s see what the fine folks over at Reddit have to say about this.

This person doesn’t understand why people get embarrassed over this.

Here’s a similar situation.

According to this reader, they laugh after saying that, too.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who won’t answer calls after hours since he was switched from salary to hourly pay.

A similar thing happened here, but with a pregnancy test.

OP patiently made his cousin repeat the mumbled request, then helped him choose from several varieties behind the counter.

Both remained professional until OP handed over the bag and automatically wished him a good night, sending them into laughter.

Nothing creates a lasting family memory quite like buying an awkward personal item from the worst possible cashier.