I was just trying to get some things from the store, like anybody else. I had my list and was looking at the cans on the shelf, trying to figure out if I had enough for what I needed. It was pretty busy, a lot of people were there, pushing carts and talking.
Then this lady just appears next to me. She didn’t say excuse me or anything. Just right there. I turned my head a little, just so she knew I saw her. She had a basket, and it looked heavy. I didn’t think much of it, just figured she wanted to get a can from the shelf too, and I was in the way.
She cleared her throat. I looked at her properly then. “Can you help me?” she asked, a little huffy. Like I was supposed to know already what she wanted. I kind of blinked, confused. My mind was still on what I was going to make for dinner, not really paying attention to other people.
“Help with what?” I asked her. It seemed like a normal question to me. Why would she just assume I knew?
She kind of scoffed. “I need the fancy butter. The one in the silver foil. I can’t find it anywhere. You should know where it is.”
My eyebrows went up. I knew what she meant, I think, but I definitely didn’t know where it was right then. And why would I “should know”? That struck me as odd. “Oh, I don’t actually work here,” I told her. I tried to be polite, like, just explaining things. I thought that would be the end of it, you know? Just a simple mistake.
But her face changed. Not like surprised, more like annoyed. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she said, her voice getting louder. “Of course you work here. You’re standing right there in the aisle. Go find me the butter.”
A little pulse started beating in my temple. I felt my shoulders tense up a little. This was not how I expected my grocery trip to go. “No, really. I don’t work here. I’m just a customer, like you,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. I even showed her my shopping basket, which had my own items in it, not stuff for stocking shelves or anything.
She just looked at my basket like it was a trick. “Stop making excuses. I need that butter for a recipe. It’s important. Now, are you going to get it for me or not?” Her voice was real sharp now. Other people in the aisle were starting to glance over, but nobody stopped.
My jaw tightened. I started to feel a prickle of irritation. “I told you, I absolutely do not work at this store,” I said, maybe a little louder than I meant to. It was getting frustrating. It felt like talking to a brick wall.
Her eyes narrowed at me. “How dare you use that tone? I will have you fired! Get your manager! This is completely unacceptable customer service. I demand you go get that butter. Now!” She put her basket down with a thump, and it echoed in the silence that had suddenly fallen around us in the aisle.
I felt my blood run hot. All I wanted was to finish my shopping and get home. “Listen,” I started, my voice low and firm. “I am not an employee. I am not going to find your butter. You need to ask someone who actually wears a uniform.” I tried to walk past her, to just get away from the argument.
She stepped directly in front of me, blocking my path. My headache was getting worse. “You are not going anywhere until you help me! You are rude and lazy! You will assist me right now, or I will make sure you regret it!” She was really close, yelling into my face. I could feel a knot in my stomach.
I pushed back a little, not trying to hurt her, just to create some space. “Get out of my way,” I warned her, my voice strained. I was seeing red. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I just wanted to leave.
She didn’t move. Instead, she swung her arm, fast and hard. I felt a sharp impact on my head, just above my ear. A bright flash went off in my vision, and then everything just went dark. I remember falling, but I didn’t feel the floor.
