The Angry Black Man

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So right now I'm working my way through college as a grocery store cashier. Today was a short, but eventful day for me. Close to the end of my shift this guy walks up to my register with a single item in hand. Instantly I knew he was in a bad mood, because it was written all over his face. So I made myself as perky as possible, and did my usual cashier thing. When it was over, he went to pay with a five. I reached out for the bill - as you usually do - and he instantly pulls back and snarls at me "Give me a second!" He then proceeds to fiddle with the bill to make it as smooth and flawless as ever. My first thought was, 'Great, he's got OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). I hate customers like that.' No sooner did I think that, he looks me in the eyes and says, "The days of slavery are over - I don't have to rush for nobody. I hate how kids today are always rushing around. I've got my rights, I can do what I want." He went on like that until he left the store. The good news was, he probably didn't have OCD, the bad news was he was clearly a very angry, and probably racist black guy. It's been a few hours since the incident, and I still can't get over what he said to me. Since when was reaching out for someone's money "rushing them", and why the hell did he have to bring up slavery? All in all, it was a not-so-typical run in with a rude, and possibly psychotic customer. This brings me to the first point of my rant - when you're standing in line, and the clerk is being hassled by an unnecessarily rude customer, if you're not going to say something to shut the rude person up, at least have the decency to turn to the cashier and tell him how much of a pr*ck the customer was once the guy has left. You have no idea how much some people appreciate it when the customers sympathize with them after a particularly nasty run in with a mean customer. We usually can't stand up for ourselves without risking our jobs - so please, some sympathy is all we ask. My second point is: NO ONE these days has lived to see the days of slavery. People need to stop bringing it up like it only happened to them yesterday. Yes, it was horrible, but it's been over for almost 150 years. None of us had anything to do with it. You don't need money from some white family you don't even know because their great grand daddy owned your great grand daddy, nor do you need to blame the social ills affecting African Americans on the fact that black people used to be slaves. Slavery's got nothing to do with it, so for the love of your God, just DROP IT!