Edit: Thank you guys for the comments! I agree that it’s probably an overthinking on my part kind of situation, just wanted to know if this is a thing that is happening to people!
So today I went to a local supermarket and got just a few items, including tangerines only to notice the price I had to pay seemed a bit off. Before packing the stuff into my bag I checked the receipt and the register person obviously forgot to scan both nets of tangerines. For a few seconds I was like “cool free shit” but I immediately felt bad, so I turned to the register and told him.
However, instead of letting me pay the register staff (who I never seen before, so must be new guy) just looked at me while slowly shaking his head and without saying a word (there were people and other staff around us) gestured with his hands I should just go, as if he wants to say “it’s ok just leave as is”. I stared at him but he kept gesturing for me to just take stuff and leave as is. He definitely seemed like he doesn’t want rest of staff to know.
I ended up packing my stuff, including said tangerines, VERY confused, wondering if maybe he is afraid of getting told off for making a mistake and rather hide it? So I went out of the supermarket feeling guilty, stood next to it for a few minutes to think, then went back to find another staff outside to tell her “sorry I think my tangerines weren’t scanned”.
I didn’t want to throw the guy under the bus so I didn’t mention that I had actually told him. She was super happy I was honest though, so she let me bring her to the guy who forgot to scan and asked him to scan it as he seems to have forgotten. Meanwhile he looks at me like “why are you back??????”. And when the lady left, he whispered “サービスですよ👀” as if he still doesn’t want me to pay. Which made me realize he did it deliberately. I insisted I do and when I walked out the lady gave me free tangerines as a thanks for being honest.
In the end I was wondering WHY THE F would a register person bring me into the position of not paying for my stuff. I mean, I would be fucked if they accuse me of stealing? I wonder if it’s some ナンパ strategy (I am female and he looked much older then me), but it was super weird and super confusing. What kind of new sagi shit is that? Last thing I want is having locals thinking foreigners run around stealing.
by fruitbasketinabasket