Ah yes, the head to toe black Walmart uniform
I have worked in retail and customer support most of my life, and like to joke that instead of RBF I have "Resting How-Can-I-Help-You Face". I am forever being mistaken for an employee of basically every department store, warehouse store, and big box store ever. It's a running gag with my family. I also have people-pleasing tendencies and am used to helping customers so most of the time it's a non-issue and I do it out of reflex, and people eventually realise they just asked another customer, laugh, and apologise.
But the one instance that really sticks out to me, and infuriates me even years later, is this one. I figured this sub would appreciate it.
A few years back, my grandmother passed away. She'd been ill for a while, then caught covid and had a stroke. It was hard on everyone, particularly my mum and aunt, but ultimately a relief because we knew she wasn't suffering anymore.
We had a very small graveside service with immediate family. I was wearing black trousers, a black cashmere turtleneck, pearls, and a black pea coat. It was winter in Montreal, cold and snowy, and about halfway through the service I realised one of my winter boots had a hole in it. I ignored it for as long as possible and as soon as I got back in the car with my folks I told them what had happened and we made a pit stop at Walmart because I needed something cheap and fast before we continued on with our day.
Now, keep in mind, I'm still wearing all black, I'm a snotty, red-faced mess from crying and standing outside in below-freezing temps, and very clearly not in my right mind. I'm trying on boots and so are like four or five other people because this is the first big snow of the year and despite all living in Canada we're none of us properly prepared for this. As I'm bending down to try a pair on, this dude in roughly his late 50s (so maybe fifteen years my senior, tops) asks me to pass him his size in a pair of winter work boots. I'm on autopilot and they're relatively close to me so without thinking I just hand him the box.
Big mistake. He starts asking for several other pairs, saying one doesn't fit, asking me to move so he can see what's behind me, etc etc etc. At this point the other people in the aisle are looking at me with concern, because even though they don't know exactly what the situation is they can see that a) I clearly don't fucking work at Walmart and b) I'm frazzled and upset.
I quietly just say I'm trying stuff on, he's welcome to reach over and help himself. At which point he starts yammering about useless employees, and saying he should complain to a manager. I just look up at him and go "I don't work here. I just buried my grandmother. I need boots."
I shit you not, he looks me up and down and goes "Well, I just thought-- you know.. the way you're dressed.. I mean... " and then proceeds to look on his own and mutter about how unhelpful people are nowadays.
Because yes, all the Walmarts I've ever been to sure have all black semi-formal as their employee uniform. Dude, really?