From mildly_irrational, Tales From Retail:

I used to work a large grocery store a few years ago, and my very first day I had some interesting characters, but this guy took the cake for the day.

I'm about halfway through my shift when an older man approaches my line. He's got a 24 pack of beer and is clearly over our age suggestion of 40 (Store policy requires you to check ID if they look under 40), but this was my first alcohol sale EVER at my first retail job EVER. I wanted to make sure I did it right, age be damned. I had my trainer shadowing me, and she agrees that I should ask for ID just to get the hang of asking for it. M will be me, OM will be the older man, T will be my trainer.

Me: Hello sir, I need to see some ID for this alcohol..

OM: Are you kidding me? I never get ID'd when I come here.

Me: Well I'm truly sorry about the inconvenience sir, but this is my first day and I don't want to make any mistakes!

OM: Well I don't have my ID, you stupid girl. CLEARLY you aren't doing your job correctly, because I'm over 40.

At this point, I've gone beet red. I knew he was over 40, but I still wanted to ID him to get the hang of it, and now I have to refuse the sale. I tell him that I won't be able to sell him the alcohol, and he loses it. Starts shouting and calling me incompetent and swearing, making a huge fuss. I tell him he can leave the alcohol with me and continue the transaction, or I can suspend it and he can leave. The old man shouts louder, yelling obscenities, insulting me, and then picks up his groceries and moves to the line behind mine.

I turn to my trainer and tell her that I've seen this guy slide into another lane with the beer and I inform her that I had to deny the sale due to him not having ID. Seeing as though we know the guy doesn't have his ID, he cannot purchase it now, regardless of if he goes into another lane. She smiles at me and says she'll handle it. She slides onto my coworker's lane and runs the register for her. (my coworker was also a trainee and didn't know what was going on)

T: Hello sir, are you having a good day today?

OM: Of course not! I can't believe that dumb b**** over there wouldn't sell me this alcohol when I'm OBVIOUSLY over 40.

T: Well sir, I'm afraid I'm going to need to see some ID as well.

OM: ARE YOU F****** KIDDING ME?

T: As I understand it, my trainee asked for your ID and you said you didn't have it. In order to sell this to you, I need to see valid ID.

OM: THAT IS REDICULOUS. I'M CLEARLY OVER 40!

T: I can see that sir, but I can also see that you do not have valid ID when asked for it.

OM: THIS IS F****** REDICULOUS. I'M GOING TO GET YOU ALL FIRED FOR THIS, HOW DARE YOU TREAT ME THIS WAY. I ALWAYS SHOP HERE AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN ID'D IN MY ENTIRE TIME.

He storms off and heads to customer service, ranting and raving about us and how he's going to get us fired for treating him so unfairly.

We didn't get fired.

--mildly_irrational