Nasty Incident at Meat and Cheese Store

     There are many ways that a store owner can get rid of customer whom he finds annoying for whatever the reason. The most recent one I encountered was from a meat and Cheese store-owner at the Broad Street Market. He chose to use extreme vagueness in his responses in order to cause confusion. He employed body language expressing disgust over my choice and quantity of an ordered item.

     Here is how it went down. I ordered fifteen dollars worth of chicken breast, and then changed it to twenty dollars worth by requesting an additional five-dollar's worth.  There was an unusual silent pause before he responded with an enigmatically cryptic No! It wasn't a polite "No!"mind you! But just an emphatic take-it-or-leave- it  type of No!  Risking some unpleasant confrontation, because of suspecting I was being baited into one,  I cautiously  asked what he meant, and he responded that the chicken breast I already had chosen was big enough. He then followed that up by also expressing disgust and surprise by making a face of disgust and astonishment after I ordered ten dollars worth of Tuna Salad. Again, I figured that also might have been due to the same reason he had objected to my purchase of the chicken breast. you know, wanting to stay supplied enough to sell to other customers.

     Since I did't feel like getting into a heated argument over my right to purchase any quantity, and his right to deny me that right at his food store, I decided to humbly accept the quantity he had established as the limit. But then, I started pondering all the possible reasons why a store-owner would do such a thing. Giving him the noble benefit of the doubt, I concluded that he just wanted to have enough chicken-breast to supply other customers.

   So I figured that I would make a list of items I usually purchased there, and give it to him so he could write down the limits of amounts that I would be permitted to purchase. As I approached the counter with the list the next day, I stupidly didn't go straight to him but tried to get the info from this elderly female employee.  Well, upon hearing my request, she became furious and began looking at me as if I were there looking for trouble. No matter what I said, she kept up the same attitude-backed by a fierce disposition which to me indicated a MAGA mentality but which  could be due to any other idiotic reason as well. You know, such as a tendency towards cruelty reinforced by the frustration of seeing herself get so old. Ir else just plain old fashioned racism. In short, the impression was one of dealing with a belligerent person willing to make a scene over trivia.

     After that utterly useless and annoying encounter I finally tried to get an explanation from the store-owner himself who was the source of the confusion to begin with. After indicating that he was willing to confront me anywhere I so wished. as if the issue were one in which fisticuffs were intended, he proceeded to calmly deny having placed limits on the quantity of meat I could buy. Then suddenly, as if in an effort to nullify any impression of any apology he had halfheartedly uttered,  he vociferously insinuated that the employee behaved that way because of the crazies that frequent his store.  which she must deal  with,.obviously placing me it that same category.
     
     Rather roundabout unique way of getting rid of a customer you wish to get rid of-- isn't it? BTW This incident had been preceded by the fish incident I described before.