Strangers Step In After Rude Cashier Mocks Man Who Cannot Read
After a rude cashier mocks a man who cannot read, kind strangers step in to help him.
This scenario was staged on the hidden camera show What Would You Do? at a café in Jasper, Alabama. Brad, who stops by the café for a milkshake, and the cashier are both actors. As Brad struggles to read the menu and the cashier belittles him for not being able to read, customers are appalled by the lack of respect and come to his side to help him.
“Look, if you can’t read, why don’t you go to the back of the line,” the cashier remarks, “and let me help the educated customers?”
The couple behind Brad is shocked and immediately steps in.
“Okay sir, I’ll help you out,” says a young woman. “They have almond, amaretto, banana, butterscotch, carmel…”
As the flavors are being read aloud, the man with the young woman reprimands the cashier for her behavior. “That’s rude. That’s very rude,” he says.
“Listen I have an aunt that can’t read and it’s legit, okay? That’s very rude,” remarks the woman.
“How does that even happen?” says the cashier.
“It’s called people having to go through a tough life sometimes and you have to work.” As the young woman is explaining this, the man with her demands to speak to the manager of the café about the cashier’s behavior. That’s when they find out that they are on a hidden camera show.
The show resets the scene, and this time, two teenage girls find themselves behind Brad as he is being humiliated by the cashier.
One of the girls comes to Brad’s aid right away and start reading off the milkshake flavors to him. She informs the cashier that she is in no rush as the cashier starts to hurry Brad up to make his order.
“My grandfather, because he’s a coal miner, he has trouble reading. He’s great at math, but Papa, he can’t really read that much,” the teenager says as she shows sympathy toward Brad.
Throughout the day, many customers are outraged by the cashier’s complete lack of respect. When the show resets the scene for a final time, they come across an educator who helps Brad read the menu, as well as educate the cashier on her worldview.
“I can’t believe that in 2019, there’s an adult that can’t read,” says the cashier.
“Then apparently, you were brought up under a situation where you had every opportunity in education,” explains the teacher. “Not everyone does. Not even today.”
Adult illiteracy is very much a national issue, and it affects 32 million adults in the U.S. today. The lack of reading skills can come with shame and harassment, like we saw in this staged scenario. Thankfully, because of this community of people stepping forward, we were able to see kindness shine through while they were helping another person in need. This is how we should all strive to live each day!