Hey everyone. So to preface, this story is a little bit old, around two years ago this happened to me. I was in a relatively weird mental time of my life back then so I sort of just had my emotional response to the situation, blamed myself and moved on. This also took place in the UK.
I was studying at University during the pandemic. I fell for the on-campus accommodation scam and was essentially running incredibly low on money due to how much it cost me to live there. It essentially got to a point where I ended up running out of student loan entirely and was lacking any food. I was trying my best to find a job to start earning cash to not have to rely on that super small loan I was getting and to feel a bit of independence. I ended up getting invited to an interview for a retail job and I made my way to where I *thought* it was located. I didn't exactly know the city very well and combined with me already being pretty hungry and malnourished I guess I didn't really pay attention to the right address of the place I'd be working. I walked about an hour and a half to the wrong place.
Now, I take total responsibility for that mistake. I do agree that it is silly and it shows a lack of attention to detail and organisation, however what I don't really agree with is how the manager of that incorrect store treated me. He essentially kept me in the back of the warehouse and berated the crap out of me, calling me an idiot and a moron and saying that I'm wasting everyone's time, even in front of his other staff. He called the correct store to essentially let them know that I arrived at the wrong place, and that I will be arriving to the right store as fast as I can and “will hopefully have an incredibly good apology to give”. He wrote the address for the right store on a piece of paper which he pointed at me and I reached out for it before he recoiled and snapped “Get off” at me before finishing berating me a bit more, demanding that I essentially bow down to the manager in that other store and come up with an excellent apology if I even want a slim chance of getting the job. He hands me the paper and tells me to get out of his sight.
I stood outside the corner of the story bawling my eyes out honestly. Combined with everything else I was going through and then being berated like that broke me down and I sobbed. I ended up calling the manager of who I was meant to talk to and apologised profusely and said I will do my best to get there soon, they at least seemed very sympathetic and relaxed about it.
I eventually realised I'd have to walk another 2 or so hours to get there and considering I was already rather worn from walking there in the first place running on empty I just called it a defeat and went home, then later called to say I will not be returning for an interview and saying thank you for the opportunity.
I honestly think about this situation and I wonder if there's actually any legal ways I could have reprimanded that store. The UK is generally very strict and concise when it comes to stuff like this and a part of me today wishes I stood up for myself and got some justice for how I was treated. But it's too late now.