I was in Canada for a holiday last week and went into a supermarket to buy a bottle of Coke. The girl working there couldn’t have been older than 17 or 18. She seemed a bit stressed and didn’t really look at me during the transaction. I initially thought that maybe she was just new and a bit shy. Then, she asked me if I wanted to buy a bag (I think she said it was $3?). I hate it when shops try to make you buy extra crap you won’t want, but obviously it’s not her fault so I just smiled politely and said no, thank you. She quickly looked over her shoulder and that’s when I noticed some middle-aged asshole who I assume was her manager standing staring at her, arms folded and scowling. She very sheepishly asked if I was sure and started to give a spiel about how it’s better for the environment to have one bag instead of using disposable plastic bags. Meanwhile, that prick was practically boring a hole in her skull from staring at her. I didn’t want the feckin bag but I also didn’t want her to get in trouble for not persuading me, so I said I would buy it. She immediately relaxed.
On my way out, the manager said “sorry about her.” I was so taken aback that I didn’t know what to say. I just mumbled that I think she did a great job, actually. I was so annoyed. I wish I had asked him what kind of sick freak would intimidate and humiliate a teenage girl in front of customers like that. And how dare you try to make people buy MORE crap they don’t need or want when everyone is underpaid and everything is too expensive. I hate how he probably used me as an example of “see? People DO want to buy this stuff. You just need to push more.”
I hate all of this.