Went to Greggs to buy sausage rolls, counted out the cash and put it in the side, turned away to sort something in the buggy, picked up my sausage rolls.
She says you haven't paid. Not rude just politely firm
I insisted I had as I'd paid cash, remember putting it on the counter.
She maintained I def hadn't as till hadn't opened.
I'm checking the buggy in case I've put it back my pockets, my bra the lot. No cash. So I'm saying but I must have, I don't have it any more and start getting upset.
She calls a colleague over, someone offers to pay and by now I'm properly crying because I'm embarrassed someone might think I'm trying to steal sausage rolls.
Someone else offers to pay, staff again refuse to take the money and basically put it through the til as paid.
But by now I'm properly blubbering and saying I'm sorry and that I don't want them to think I'd try and steal it etc. They were v kind, reassured me it was prob a customer who'd picked it up and offered me a cup of tea.
Humiliated enough I thank them and leave.
But as I'm walking through town looking like I've just cried it occurs to me again that this isn't a proportional response, and that everyone must think I'm weird to cry so easily and that at 40 with three kids I should do better.
Is it reasonable to say that I'm being pathetic and need to toughen up already and anyone else would have breezily just laughed it off?
Or am I being unreasonable to myself and my response to stress is normal?