"Hello! Welcome to the unemployment line!"

Ed Bauman is a Walmart greeter. His job is to make crotchety trailer park denizens, Welfare cheats and dental anomalies feel good about themselves.

“Welcome to Walmart,” Ed would say with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye as folks waltzed by in search of $5 bags of tube socks and some ammo from the gun store.

But this week, the 69-year-old ex-Marine was the recipient of a greeting. In the form of a punch to the face.

As the story goes, a customer leaving the store, set off the security alarm. Ed, being the faithful-even-though-they-only-pay-me-minimum-wage employee, chased down the man to check and see if he was leaving with any ill-gotten gain.

When Ed caught up to the would-be thief, he was punched right in the kisser.

Ed responded with a few Semper Fi roundhouses of his own.

And as thanks for putting his life on the line for the sake of the company’s profit margin, Walmart gave Ed the pink slip.

Yep, he was canned. For fighting with a customer.

Correct us if we’re wrong, but getting punched isn’t fighting, it’s elderly abuse. It’s not grounds for termination, it’s grounds for a freaking promotion and some of that executive health insurance.

Here’s an idea Ed. Why don’t you greet Walmart. With a big frickin’ lawsuit.