Paige Yore's Walmart Experience
When a person is recalling what he experienced or what happened he will do so using past tense language. In fact, the rules of grammar require us to use past tense language when talking about a past event. It does not matter if it happened ten years ago or ten minutes ago it is all in the past.
Over 30 times she used present tense language.
"I'm (I was) in downtown Pueblo at this Walmart waiting in line for like 20 minutes, and this young cashier, sixteen maybe, young man, he's (he was) having hell, he can't (couldn't) ring anything up, he can't (couldn't) remember the codes, he's (he was) taking deep breathes, and I thought to myself, and I'm (I was) like, 'I wonder what happened to him this morning that made his day just bad.'"
"This young kid just stops (stopped) in his tracks behind the counter and just starts (started) crying and he comes (came) around the bagging area and he just hugs (hugged) me. And I'm (I was) like, I'm (I was) like weirded out and I hug (hugged) him back."
There are rare occasions when people who experienced a traumatic event may use present tense language as they describe what happened. As they tell their story they begin to relive the event causing them to speak in the present tense. However, in Yore's story she often used past tense language.
"I helped her get her groceries all loaded up."
"I grabbed her, and I was like, 'Ma'am maybe you should just step aside, let us cash out."
"I gave him all the money out of my purse.
"I started crying."
Her use of present tense language is a strong indication her story is not coming from memory.
Walmart has issued a statement which says their surveillance footage shows Yore in line at a Walmart. However, the video does not show the cashier walking around the baggage area and hugging Yore. Walmart also said that the cashier's mother is alive and well.