Tobacco and alcohol are classified as “Age Restricted Substances” and require an ID for purchase. This puts me in the position of asking the question, “Do you have your ID?” several times a night. This is so emphasized by the company that just this morning I had a refresher course on checking IDs!
Here are a couple of recent ID encounters.
Two women came into the store the other night. Both of them were black (the relevance of this will become apparent). They came to the counter and one of them was buying a beer. She also asked for a box of Newports. Her friend immediately corrected her, “Soft pack.” They had a brief discussion and decided on the soft pack. At this point, I don’t know who the cigarettes are for, so as I came back to the register I said, “I’ll need both your IDs.”
Woman # 1 had hers but it quickly became obvious that woman #2 did not. She immediately became hostile and argumentative, informing me that she didn’t need her ID, that she wasn’t buying anything from this store, that these cigarettes weren’t even for her. And all this was profanity laced. I tried to explain that it had the appearance they were buying this together and therefore I needed everyone’s ID. She said to her friend, “We can go buy this at another store.” Which was fine with me, as I was growing tired of the tirade and I removed the beer from the counter and said, “Yes, you can.” On her way out she said to her friend, loud enough so I would be sure to hear, “We don’t need any more of this racist-ass crap.”
Ha! I don’t care what color you are. I know, you know, and I know you know, you need an ID to buy this stuff! When I told Mary about this I said, “I’ve been cussed out by men, women, white people, and black people. I’m an equal opportunity ‘cuss out clerk’!
Whenever I train a new clerk, one of the first things I tell them is, “This is your drawer. You ID any one you want to ID. Don’t let them tell you, ‘I know Jeff blah blah…’ You want an ID? You ask for ID.”
Last week I had a new girl for two nights. A man came in. I knew him. I’ve sold age restricted substances to him. But she didn’t know him so she asked for his ID. Turned out he didn’t have it on him. He began to plead that he knew me and I knew him etc and then to plead with me. I told him, “Man, this is her drawer, it’s her call. She has to act like I’m not here.” She refused the sale.
He was angry and told me, “You and I are about to have a falling out, now.” He eventually left.
He came in last night and told me, “I’m mad at you and you know why.”
So I kinda got on him, “Listen, that girl has to get used to checking for IDs. What's gonna happen when I’m not standing behind her and some one comes in and says, “I know Jeff. He sells me….” She doesn’t know. She’s gotta learn to be tough and check everyone’s ID.”
To his credit he replied, “Touché.”
And this morning I learned I’m going to have even more angry people – I was informed that I cannot sell age restricted substances to third parties. That is, and this happens all the time, they come in and say, “He/She says they want [this kind of] cigarettes…” Since I don’t know the third party and their age, No Sale. I tell you now, I’m looking at some angry people…
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