Retail Balls Award: Deli Girl Takes On Custy With A Knife

Deli Girl gets a Retail Balls BRAVERY Award for confronting a douchey custy during a scary situation:

Hello RHU! Been reading this site when I should be working (some of my work is done from home) the last couple of days. And while walking around campus (yeah, the girl carrying a laptop and reading it while walking about outside is me. I'm not crazy, this site is just addictive. You can call me DeliGirl. I hope to God that I can soon change that name.

So, this is my story from retail hell. I was about sixteen at the time, working two part time jobs. One was in a takeaway. I'm a quiet sort, I don't get mad. But pushed me far enough and there will be doom all over the place.

The usual, sitting behind the desk, taking orders. It was getting lateish by this point, the rush was over, and it was just me out front. The cash register was out front with me, not within reach of the front desk, but in sight. This is somewhat important.

A custy comes in. Not a regular, older guy, in his forties, perhaps. Old enough to have some sense. He comes up to me, stares at me for a moment (I was small, with glasses and as noted, about sixteen at the time. Easy target.) He then PULLS OUT A KNIFE and demands all the money in the till.

My mind went blank, and I just -stared- at him. Hell, he was waving a -knife- about, he was expecting a sensible response?

Then my fuse burned through and I flipped.

I went into full-scale rant mode. I don't even remember all of what I said, but I do recall "How -dare- you?! How dare you come in with a knife and threaten me?" and winding up after about thirty seconds of not allowing him a word in edgeways with "Now, are you going to order something or not?!"

He did. He actually backed down, looked embarrassed (or possibly shocked) and muttered "If I was serious, I'd have been a lot more threatening..", pushed knife back into pocket, ordered food, PAID for food, and left.

I was left in shock. Partly at his actions, partly at my own reaction. I should have called the police, I'll put it down to the shock that I waited until the end of the evening and then 'fessed up to the manager, who was horrified (I'll stick in here that my manager was an absolutely wonderful 5'4" Chinese man who was concerned at me getting home at night and insisted on personally driving me home and waiting to make sure I got in after midnight). I hope that custy never tried it again elsewhere; that's the main reason I do wish I'd acted more sensibly on it.

But my God, he got a telling off I'll bet only his mother has ever bettered.

--DeliGirl

 

Comments

[Bored at the Bookstore]

Wow. Good for you, DeliGirl! I bet when you had time to think back, there was a certain amount of "Whattheheck did I do that for?" in there. Thank goodness your thief was not all that determined. I do think it funny that he actually ordered and paid for food after all that! *G*

Reminds me of a friend/fellow bookseller who was robbed twice in the same month by the same knife-wielding thief. The second time, it wasn't enough to take the bills - he lunged across the counter and started grabbing up the coins, too. My friend blew up - "What, you even have to take the change, you moron?" He turned and ran. Thank goodness.

[Kel]

Good for you. There is a lot of risk but most people who try things like this are cowards and back down when people show a backbone and are willing to go on the attack..

The icing on the cake was making him buy something high fucking five good for you!

[The Last Archimedean]

Yob tvoyu maht! That was one scary situation.

Thank Zeus the guy backed down. I hope you never end up in that kind of situation again.

90% of crooks are cowards at heart and will back off in that situation, but it's the 10% who don't -- usually fueled by alcohol or drugs -- who end up causing a REAL tragedy.

I'll beam some good thoughts your way.

[Kiliana Nightwolf]

DeliGirl, did you happen to post this story on Reddit before? This story seems familiar somehow and I'm not quite sure... @.@

[Michael Chandra]

Killiana: You're probably thinking of the NotAlwaysRight where a guy barked "yeahyeah you gonna order or what" without realizing it was a robbery until after the fact.

[Skittles]

Doom all over the place indeed. That was pretty kickass stuff right there.

[Char]

This is the very definition of "Flutter-rage". I'm sure you've mastered "The Stare" too.

The scene http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHlSzvOtZp0

Sorry, it's past 2am and I should not comment past midnight! But great job!

[Polo Necked Strip Mall Monkey]

WOW! The Mouse that Roared! I love it that you "flustered" into defiant resistance against this filthy thief. Not only foiled his robbery, but made the creep pay for his dinner too! The only thing that would have made this story better is if the cook spit on his food. Good for you. Wishing you all the best.