This customer didn’t come into the store, at least while I was working, for over a month and I thought he might be avoiding coming in. But he came in this week twice while I was on shift. First time he went out of his way to speak to me, didn’t mention the number incident, but seemed keen to be conversational. I was pleasant back to him but kept working and didn’t give eye contact/full attention. I wondered if he felt awkward and was trying to revert to friendly customer talk.

Then he came in again next day, again he went out of his way to talk to me and said he wished that the bread rolls were available in smaller packs for single people. Now this is something customers say a lot, so nothing unusual but given the circumstances I felt he might have been trying to emphasise he was available- maybe I’m overthinking though. Anyhow I think I dealt with it okay, I advised he check the fresh bakery counter as they sell two packs of the fresh rolls, he went over and then came back to tell me he got them and thank me. All the way through this he uses my first name, we have to wear a name badge and honestly I wish we didn’t - the number of times creepy strange men like to use my name, not that this guy is necessarily creepy, or at least I don’t think so.

Anyhow, I kept my eyes on my job and deliberately engaged a nearby colleague in conversation as soon as politely possible. I’m a very non confrontational person, and also I don’t even want to say I’m married, because that’s my private life and my business. So my strategy is polite but non interested or interesting responses, and hopefully he’s going to get the message.