My job at the electronics store is mostly just getting through the day. I like my co-workers fine, and most customers are okay, but the noise in here, it really gets to me sometimes. When someone drops something loud, or a kid screams, it’s not just the sound. It’s like a flash of ugly green or a sharp red spike right behind my eyes. I try to stay calm and just focus on stocking shelves in the back, but today was one of those days where the front of the store felt like a war zone.
It was a Saturday, so you know it’s going to be busy. People everywhere, lots of kids, and the music they play here is always too loud. I was trying to organize some of the new smart home gadgets near the front when I saw them walk in. A young couple. She was maybe early twenties, wearing a tight top and jeans. She had a kind of walk like she owned the place, or maybe like she thought everyone was looking at her. He was a little older, maybe mid-twenties, and looked like a big kid, dragging his feet and pointing at things. His face was all scrunched up, like he was mad about something already.
They came right up to the customer service desk, where I was just finishing up putting some returns away. I prefer the quiet tasks, so dealing with people face-to-face is always a bit much for me. The woman, she tossed her long, sort of bleached-looking blonde hair over her shoulder and leaned against the counter. Her makeup was really thick, like she’d spent a lot of time on it. She had a smirk on her face, like she already knew what she was going to get.
She said something about a video game console, one of the really new ones that just came out. Everyone wants them, and we only get a few at a time, mostly for pre-orders. I knew right away this was going to be a problem. My stomach sort of twisted, because I could feel one of those ugly green color flashes coming. I told her we were all out of those consoles and that the ones we had were for customers who had already paid for them weeks ago. I tried to sound nice, but firm, like I always do.
Her smirk didn’t go away. She looked at her boyfriend, who just grunted and looked at the floor. Then she looked back at me, her eyes narrowing a little. She said that was impossible, because she had heard we had some in the back. She mentioned how important it was for her boyfriend to get one, because it was his birthday and he just had to have it. She waved her hand at him, like he was a little puppy who deserved a treat. He still just stood there, looking miserable. I told her again that all the consoles were spoken for. I even explained that people put down deposits months ago to make sure they got one.
She let out a little huff of air, like she was annoyed I wasn’t just doing what she wanted. She said, a bit louder this time, that she knew how these things worked. She said that sometimes, if someone was important, or if they just really needed something, stores would find a way. She even winked, like she thought her charm would magically make a console appear. I just blinked at her. I’ve seen this before. They think if they push hard enough, or act a certain way, they’ll get what they want.
Just then, a kid, maybe five years old, came running around the corner of one of the display aisles. He was playing with a toy car and just slammed right into a tall shelf that had dozens of cell phone cases on it. They all went flying, clattering onto the hard tile floor. It made a loud, sudden crash. An ugly, sharp red shot through my head. The little boy started crying, and his mom came rushing over, apologizing to everyone. The woman at my counter, she jumped a little, and her face went from annoyed to really mad. She practically yelled that I should deal with the noise and get her what she wanted, because she was wasting her time.
I took a breath. I told her the consoles were literally tagged with the names of the customers who pre-ordered them. I pointed to a couple of boxes visible on a shelf behind the counter, clearly marked. She ignored that and just said she wanted one of those. Her boyfriend finally spoke, just a whine, saying, “Babe, I really want it. It’s not fair.”
Before I could explain again, another customer walked up to the counter. He was a quiet guy, probably in his late twenties, wearing glasses and a backpack. He looked a little nervous. He said, “Hi, I’m here to pick up my pre-order for the ‘Thunderbolt X’ console?” He gave me his name. It was the name on one of the boxes the woman was pointing at. He was the primary victim in this whole thing. He just stood there, looking confused at the angry woman.
The woman turned to him, her eyes wide. She said, “Oh, you must be mistaken. This console is actually for my boyfriend.” She even tried to reach over and grab the box with his name on it. I quickly stepped in front of it. I told her, very clearly, that the console was not hers, and she could not take it. I told her that trying to take something that belonged to another customer was stealing. Her face went red, and she started saying things about how rude I was, and how she was going to call my manager. I just nodded and told her she was free to do that, and I’d be happy to give her the number for corporate too. I knew my manager, Dave, was probably on his lunch break in the back, and I doubted he’d show up right away anyway. Sometimes it’s easier to just handle it myself.
The other customer, the one who actually owned the console, looked shocked. He just stood there, clutching his backpack straps. He probably wasn’t used to seeing someone act like this. He looked like he just wanted to disappear.
The woman’s boyfriend, who had been quiet this whole time, finally looked up. He took in the situation, the messy floor from the phone cases, the other customer looking uncomfortable, his girlfriend yelling. He put his hand on her arm. “Babe,” he said, “Let’s just go. It’s not worth it. We can get one somewhere else, maybe online.” He actually sounded a little embarrassed, which was a surprise.
She tried to pull away from him. “No! I’m not leaving without it! They have it right there!” She pointed at the box again. But her boyfriend was already pulling her towards the exit. He mumbled apologies to me and the other customer, his face getting redder than hers. He just kept pulling her, and she kept complaining, but he was stronger than she looked. They slowly made their way out of the store, her loud complaints fading as they went.
I just looked at the customer who had come to pick up his console. He gave me a weak smile, like he had just survived something. I handed him his box, and he held it close, like it was a precious jewel. I just felt bad for him, for having to deal with all that just to pick up something he had already paid for. Some people just don’t think about anyone else.
