I was just trying to find some hinges for a gate I was building. You know, the kind that let you open it real wide. I was in the hardware store, poking around the aisle with all the nuts and bolts and screws. There was so much stuff. My eyes were just glazing over trying to figure out which little box had what I needed.
Then this lady just appears out of nowhere next to me. She had a shopping cart piled high with bags of soil and some small plants. I didn’t even hear her walk up. She just started talking like we were already in a conversation.
“Excuse me,” she said, kind of sharp. “Can you tell me where the potting soil is? The good stuff, not that cheap junk.”
I looked at her, blinking. I was still trying to read the tiny print on a hinge package. I didn’t even think to myself that she was talking to an employee. I just figured she was asking another customer. “Oh, I’m not sure,” I told her. “I’m looking for something over here myself.”
She just stared at me. Her mouth kinda opened a little. I could feel a weird tension in the air. Like I said something wrong. “What do you mean you don’t know?” she demanded. Her voice got louder. “You work here, don’t you?”
My brow furrowed. “No,” I said, a little confused now. “I don’t. I’m just a customer, same as you. I’m trying to find some hinges.” I held up the package I was looking at. It had a big picture of a gate hinge on it. Real clear.
She just scoffed. It was a loud scoff. Made me jump a little. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she snapped. “You’re wearing a plain shirt, no name tag, you’re obviously trying to avoid helping me. I saw you just standing there. That’s what you employees do, isn’t it? Try to look busy so you don’t have to help people.”
My muscles started to tense up. I felt a flush creeping up my neck. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Lady, I am not an employee,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “I came here to buy things, not to work. Maybe you can find someone in an apron, they usually work here.” I gestured vaguely down the aisle, hoping to point her away.
She ignored my hand gesture completely. She put her hands on her hips. “You think you’re clever, don’t you? Trying to trick me. I know an employee when I see one. Now, are you going to help me find the premium potting soil, or am I going to have to report you to your manager?” Her voice was getting really loud now, echoing a little in the tall aisle.
My jaw tightened. I could feel a headache starting to bloom behind my eyes. This was just ridiculous. I didn’t even know what to say anymore. It was like talking to a brick wall. A brick wall that was getting increasingly angry at me for no reason. I just wanted to finish my shopping and get out of there. I took a deep breath, clutching the hinge package in my hand. I decided the best thing to do was just walk away. This conversation was going nowhere good.
So, I started to take a step, trying to move around her. Just turn my back and go to the next aisle. I figured she’d get the hint. I was wrong.
She stepped right in front of me, blocking my path. Her face was all scrunched up. “Oh no you don’t!” she shrieked. People in the next aisle started to look over. My heart started to pound. This was so embarrassing. “You are not walking away from me! You are going to help me find what I need right now, or I swear I will make sure you lose your job!”
My blood was starting to boil. The sheer nerve of this woman. I felt like yelling, but I knew that would just make it worse. I just wanted to disappear. “I don’t work here!” I practically gritted through my teeth. “I can’t lose a job I don’t have!”
She just stood there, arms crossed, staring me down. Her foot started tapping on the floor. “That’s a likely story,” she scoffed. “You think I’m stupid? I’ve been shopping here for years. I know how things work. You’re just lazy. Now, where is the potting soil? I’m not asking again.”
I felt trapped. There was no way around her. My face was hot. I just wanted to shove past her, but I knew that would be a bad idea. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, trying to calm down. This was a nightmare. I looked around desperately for an actual employee. Or even just someone who looked like they knew what was going on. But everyone was just looking at us like we were a show.
Just then, a man, who must have been her husband or something, came around the corner. He had a look of real tired on his face. He saw her yelling and me standing there looking like I wanted to run a mile. He sighed, a real big, heavy sigh that I could practically hear from where I stood.
“Brenda,” he said, his voice calm but firm. He didn’t even look at me, just at her. “What’s going on here?”
She immediately turned to him, all dramatic. “This employee is refusing to help me, Mark! I asked for the premium potting soil, and he’s just being difficult and trying to walk away! He even said he doesn’t work here! Can you believe the nerve?”
Mark, the husband, just nodded slowly. He looked at me for a split second, gave me a small, almost apologetic shrug, then put his hand on her arm. “Brenda, come on,” he said gently. “You know sometimes you get a little… confused. This person isn’t wearing a uniform. And they have their own stuff in their hand. Let’s go ask someone who actually works here.”
He started to guide her away, and she was still muttering complaints. “But he was just standing there, Mark! And he was so rude! I should get him fired!”
Mark just kept pulling her, shaking his head a little. “We’ll figure it out, hon. Let’s just find an apron. Come on.” And with that, he managed to steer her down the aisle and out of sight. I just stood there, breathing heavy, still clutching my hinges. My temples were throbbing. It took me a good minute before I could even start to think about looking for my hinges again.
