(Note: during the course of this conversation the customer uses several degrading terms for people of Middle-Eastern and African descent.)

Customer #1: *slaps a $10 bill on the counter* “I’ll have a pack of [racial slur] delights.”

Me: “Excuse me?”

Customer #1: “You know, [different racial slur] specials! You know, the cigarettes the [yet another racial slur] make!”

Me: “You mean Camels?”

Customer #1: “That’s what I said I wanted, isn’t it?”

Me: “Not even close. You used several highly offensive racial slurs, but not once did you ask for a pack of cigarettes.”

Customer #1: “Whatever. Just get me the f***ing cigarettes!”

Me: “Yeah, that’s not happening. I’m exercising my right to refuse you service. The door’s right over there, have a nice day!”

Customer #1: “You’re kidding, right? What the f*** is your problem?”

Me: “It’s simple, really. If someone is bothering other customers, I am required to kick them out of the store. Your crude and abusive language is clearly bothering the customers in line behind you, so there you go. Goodbye.”

Customer #1: “What the f*** is wrong with you! What’s wrong with calling a [slur] a [slur]? They’re all f***ing [slurs], and you’re all a bunch of f***ing b****ds. You hear me? You’re all—”

(At this point Customer #1 turns around to yell at the other people in line, but cuts off as he catches sight of the customer right behind him. Customer #2 is a male African-American that could accurately be described as ‘terrifyingly enormous’. It should also be noted that one of the slurs Customer #1 has been using was aimed at African-Americans.)

Customer #1: “Whoa, man. I said ‘sand [slur]’. I don’t have any problem with you!”

Customer #2: *stares down at Customer #1* “Lemme see if I’ve got this right. You’re a loud-mouthed, ignorant, bigoted a**hole, but that shouldn’t bother me because you don’t have a problem with me specifically?”

Customer #1: “Uh, yes?”

Customer #2: “Uh, no. The nice man behind the counter asked you to leave the store. I suggest you do so before I decide you need some help getting through the door.”

(Customer #1 immediately flees out the door, allowing Customer #2 to put his four coffees on the counter.)

Customer #2: “Just the coffees, my friend.”

Me: “Dude, the look on that guy’s face was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. For that, and for helping me out, your coffee is on me.”

(The next day I told my manager what happened. After reviewing the security tapes (and laughing for a good 20 minutes) she gave me a nearly half a box of free coffee vouchers to give Customer #2. When I quit two years later, he still hadn’t run out of them.)

This story is part of our Juneteenth roundup!

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