Astonishing Nolan Dawson

Chapter 8: Do you want to be jailed

Numerous thoughts flickered across his mind, rendering him momentarily speechless.

He was unable to fathom whether the words ‘ street dog’ were directed at him.

As he stared at the workers, he silently watched waiting for them to clear his confusion.

Nevertheless, with minutes of silence passing, Nolan chose not to dwell on it. Instead, he straightforwardly expressed his purpose, saying, "Excuse me. I'm here to purchase some clothes. Excuse me.”

As Nolan stated his purpose, he awaited their response, but none came. They behaved as if he were invisible.

Frowning and looking displeased, Nolan raised his voice. "I'm here to purchase some items. Can you all give me an audience?"

"Can't you see that we've chosen not to respond to you?" a salesgirl behind the glass shouted, giving him a hostile glare.

"And for what reason? Your job is to attend to customers, and here you are blatantly telling me that you choose not to respond to me!"

Nolan's eyes burned with anger, but the workers ignored it with a shrug.

"Examine yourself, and you'll find the reason for such a response."

Nolan remained silent. He averted his gaze from them and checked his appearance. It was then that he remembered the disheveled clothes he was wearing.

His appearance might have triggered such reactions from them, but that doesn't justify their condescending attitude.

"What's wrong with my appearance? A worker shouldn't judge a customer solely based on their looks. Don't you know about ethics!?" He questioned, his expression enraged.

With a stern gaze, he locked eyes with each worker, demanding their response.

He entered the boutique with the intention of buying clothes, yet the workers were treating him with disrespect. How else was he supposed to react?

The first salesgirl who spoke sneered. "Ethics? You don't need to lecture us on ethics! And don't you dare tell us how to assess customers. We're not blind; we can distinguish who deserves to be treated well!"

Another chimed in, "Just by looking at your appearance, we can confidently say that you can't afford anything from this boutique!"

"Do you think this boutique is like any other? Those allowed in here are wealthy individuals, not someone poor like yourself!"

The workers burst into laughter at the last words. 

Nolan maintained his composure, disregarding the raucous laughter around him. "Is there a sign on the boutique's front door stating that those less affluent are not welcome?"

The salesgirl behind the glass rolled her eyes. "We don't have time to argue with you, nor do we feel the need to answer your questions. Just leave before we take action!"

"I'm here to buy some clothes, and that's what I intend to do. Fetch the manager, I don't care." Nolan's expression was stern, accompanied by a loudly laced tone.

His anger intensified upon hearing the threatening words. While he contemplated leaving as they suggested, doing so would mean giving in to their threat, a choice he considered cowardly.

"How dare someone like you talk to us like this. Do you realize the qualifications we possess, and yet you dare to address us in such a manner?"

They all felt offended by Nolan's nonchalant attitude. It was evident he didn't take their words seriously, further fueling their fury.

"You're correct. He needs to understand that our qualifications earned us positions in such a prestigious boutique. Be mindful of how you speak to us.

Nolan cast a glance in their direction, wearing a nonchalant expression. "The way I communicate is my choice, and you have no authority to reject me. While everyone else has freely spoken, the moment it's my turn, you're all agitated. How delightful!" Sarcasm laced Nolan's voice.

" You…" They gritted their teeth in anger, rendered momentarily speechless.

Nolan smirked, paying no mind to their furious and embarrassed demeanor. In his view, they brought it upon themselves; had they not provoked him, this confrontation wouldn't have arisen.

Just as Nolan anticipated their departure in defeat, the salesgirl behind the glass spoke disdainfully. "We can all see you possess a sharp tongue, but you're mistaken if you believe it can affect us." She sneered." Unlike you poor thing, we have the perfect right to talk to you in whatever way we deem fit, so learn how you speak."

The other workers whose faces had gotten horrible suddenly displayed a satisfied expression. The salesgirl behind the glass has raised their ego.

"Do you understand what she said? You can't speak to us in whatever way you deem fit!"

An enraged male worker yelled, "Just let him leave! My eyesight is being spoiled; I cannot recall the last time we've had such an unworthy customer."

"I repeat, I won't be leaving without purchasing my clothes!" Nolan frowned as he reiterated his previous words.

"Hahaha." Instead of irritation, the customers burst into another round of laughter.

The repeated confidence in Nolan's words only fueled their desire to laugh hysterically.

"Are you so determined to make a mockery of yourself?" one of them asked, laughing.

Nolan remained silent, ignoring the question.

Interpreting Nolan's silence as a sign of defeat, they believed he was reconsidering his adamant stance and feeling regretful.

"Hehe, just look at him. He must be regretting his words now."

"He better not, or he will face the greatest embarrassment of his life."

The disdain and ridicule insults directed at Nolan kept escalating, giving him a sudden headache.

Unable to tolerate it any longer, he shouted, "Enough! I don't think mere workers have the right to shout at a customer. Whether or not I can buy it should be my business!" His tone rose sharply, silencing everyone in fright.

However, the silence didn't last long. A minute later, they erupted in anger.

"You stupid thing! Do you want to be jailed? You can be imprisoned for making things difficult for the workers here!"

"Your yelling almost made me unable to hear with my ears."

As they vented their frustration, Nolan sneered, knowing their anger was a result of his shouting, which had left them frightened and embarrassed.

Nolan's lips curled up slyly. "You all can also be sacked for being rude to customers."

Upon discerning the implied message in Nolan's words, they collectively shot him intense glares before breaking into laughter.

"And may we inquire about the identity of the customer we're supposedly being disrespectful to?"

"None other than myself," Nolan responded, his tone indifferent.

"Well, I'm afraid you're not valuable enough for us to risk getting fired," confidently asserted the salesgirl behind the glass.

The others nodded in agreement. "We can all attest that you're not worth us jeopardizing our jobs."

"If the higher-ups discover the chaos you've caused here, it's you who'll be the first to be shown the door."

Their confidence and words reflected a genuine seriousness. While it's acknowledged that all customers deserve respect, it's also true that the higher-ups have entrusted them with the responsibility of favoring the affluent and regarding the less privileged as unimportant. 

The moment Nolan had stepped in, they already assessed his status based on his appearance. Detecting no signs of wealth, they felt justified in their confidence with their words.

They had never imagined Nolan could afford anything in the store, and their disbelief was evident.

"Let him purchase his clothes. Since he's claimed he can pay, why not let him do so," a loud yet composed voice interjected amid the commotion.

All eyes, including the indifferent Nolan's, turned toward the source—the voice belonged to one of the salesgirls, evident from her attire.

Other workers, initially ready to protest, hesitated as the calm salesgirl intervened. "Don't act impulsively. Let's observe if he can afford it, and then you can decide how to handle him, whether it's humiliation or punishment," she urged calmly.

Hesitation was evident in their collective gaze as they inquired, "So, are you suggesting he can behave however he likes while we all observe him like a fool?"

The composed salesgirl immediately shook her head. "I didn't mean it that way. All I want is for him to buy whatever he wishes, and then you all can shame and mock him if he's unable to pay," she clarified, with a solemn tone.

The workers fell silent, contemplating her words. The prospect of insulting him after he couldn't afford a single item seemed enticing.

With that thought, they all nodded in agreement.

While the workers were radiating joy, Nolan was immersed in profound contemplation.

He cast a puzzled glance at the calm salesgirl. "Why did she defend me?"

There didn't seem to be any apparent reason for the salesgirl to stand by his side, especially when all the other workers were opposed to him.