Sarah’s face twisted in disgust. “Really? You’re paying with all this junk change?” she muttered loudly enough for nearby customers to hear. Without warning, she swept the coins off the counter with her hand, letting them scatter and clatter onto the floor.
“Pick them up if you want your stuff,” she sneered, crossing her arms. “I’m not touching that filthy money.”
The man looked shocked and humiliated. Slowly, he bent down, his old knees creaking, and began picking up the scattered coins from the dirty floor while other shoppers watched in awkward silence.
Unbeknownst to Sarah, a well-dressed man in a suit had been standing a few aisles away, observing the entire scene. He was Mr. Thompson, the CEO of the entire supermarket chain, who had decided to make an unannounced visit to check on store operations.
His face hardened as he watched the cruel act. He strode over to the checkout lane just as the homeless man finished gathering his coins and stood up, red-faced with embarrassment.
“Excuse me,” Mr. Thompson said firmly, addressing Sarah. “Is this how we treat our customers here?”