[redwitch]

Bombero, you're right -- I did initially take sides. However, since the owner took the time to post and state her side of the story, I felt I'd jumped the gun. My gut feeling the truth is somewhere in the middle of both stories. I do believe that the OP truly felt she was swindled and badly treated. I also believe that she could have come in with an attitude or at least a demeanor that could have been mistaken for someone wanting to threaten and argue.

I discounted the comments about the shopper wanting to dicker about prices -- that's common in many countries and part of their shopping experience. I also ignored the comments about being married to a Mexican and having a Jamaican working in the store -- personal life irrelevant as to how to treat customers. Ditto not having time to follow someone around the store -- if you think someone is likely to shoplift, you're going to find a way to keep an eye on them. However, it does sound like the OP irritated them the first time she was in the store, so there probably was very little they were going to do to help her the second time around.

I'm still trying to figure out the discrepancy in price between the two stories. I also wonder about a tear in the shoe when the OP says she thought the shoes were new and mentioned nothing about a tear. T

here are places where nothing fits the facts given and it becomes a she said/she said. So, I ain't takin sides no more.