The Same Customer Twice

Yesterday I went to see Alo off at the airport. She likes to read newspapers and magazines, so while she was standing at the ticket desk, I went to buy her The New York Times, Newsweek and People magazine. There was a teenager working at the counter. I gave her a twenty dollar bill. My purchase came to over four dollars, so she gave me back three five dollar bills and some change. Then she said very haughtily, "I don't have a ten dollar bill!" She said it as if I had asked her to give me a ten dollar bill.    

I said, "It doesn't matter, so long as you have given me the proper change." Then I saw two cute writing pads that said "I love New York" with a heart sign. I said to myself, "I really love New York. It has given me shelter. No other place has given me shelter like this."    

I went up to the girl with the pads. I was standing in front of her, and she was about to press the register. Suddenly I got the inspiration to buy cookies for Alo and Savyasachi. Then she got mad at me. Nobody was behind me. Only one other person was browsing in the store; that's all. I said, "What's the difference if I come back or if another customer comes? Can't you take me as another customer?"    

She said to me, "Oh, I didn't think of it."    

[Source: "The Same Customer Twice" in Sri Chinmoy,  I Love Shopping, Part 1.  First published by Agni Press in 1985. Copied from the web pages of  www.SriChinmoyLibrary.com/sri-chinmoy-love-shopping/part1.]