Being mistaken for a worker by a fellow customer is an embarrassing experience for all involved—they’re embarrassed that they made a mistake, and you’re embarrassed for having to rebuff a complete stranger when you were simply minding your own business with some mid-shopping dissociation. Usually, at this point, you’d both abashedly go your own way and pretend that each other doesn’t exist like good strangers do when you eventually cross paths again in the store.
This goes sideways when the mistaken party refuses to accept that the person they thought was a worker isn’t, sending the simple mistake down the fast track to a full-blown confrontation.
The original poster explains that they used to work at a Kroger division store and often shop at a farm store in their work uniform. One day, a wild Karen approached them, first demanding their help and then later returning to demand that they unlock a changing room. The user refused, prompting the Karen’s ire and leading to a confrontation with her involving the store’s manager, with the Karen insisting that the worker be fired. After some back in forth, the only way out of the situation was for the OP to be fired sarcastically. The Karen threw a fit and left—while others in the store laughed. OP and the manager jokingly planned, in front of the Karen, for the OP to return to the store the next day.
See their story as it was originally shared with the popular r/idontworkherelady subreddit.
