But it's cold outside!!!

[shadow1186]

Background: My store is connected to a mall, and on Sunday's the mall still closes at six, while we are open later, currently 11:00. At 6:00 we close the gate b/t the mall and the store for obvious reasons, if we don't do this on time mall security gets rather upset.

This past Sunday was the worst by far with guests not realizing the time, and being "trapped" in our store, at least 15 that couldn't track time. Being that one of my departments is right next to the mall entrance I over hear a lot of "woah where'd the entrance go" and other grumbles as people realize they have farther to walk now, but this lady took the cake.

Me:
EW: Mother of the Year Nominee

EW: Comes running up to me with her daughter and grabs my arm "You HAVE to open the mall entrance NOW!" (note that it's now 6:45, she hasn't just walked up a minute or two past)

Me: Oh, I'm sorry, the mall closed at 6 and we cannot allow anyone back in for security purposes.

EW: But, but, but my other daughter is on the other side!
(At this point I was imagining a lost little girl in the mall)

Me: You mean she was shopping in the mall when it closed?

EW: NO! She is in the play at "Other location attached to mall" and it's almost over and I need to get back there. (said in the tone of "you should know this already")

Me:Well that location has outside access as well, and the only way to get there is through their main doors to the outside.

EW: You mean you're going to make me walk outside?!?! It's cold outside, and it's a long way (complete with a foot stomp and whiny 2 year old voice)

Me: I'm really sorry, but once the doors close, we cannot open them back up for any reason, it would pose a huge security risk to the mall.

EW: Well then you need to find me a ride down to the other ride, because I am absolutely not walking outside!

Me: Ma'am we cannot provide any such service, the mall closed 45 minutes ago and this entrance is closed for the night. If there's nothing else I can help you with here in the store I need to get back to work.

EW: Looks at me horrified/shocked/speechless as I turned around.


I walked away to finish my work in the area, and watched as she walked back over the entrance and just stared at the door for about 5 minutes and then stomp off with her daughter towards the dreaded outdoors. I didn't feel bad for her at all, in my opinion she should've been watching the play and not out shopping and losing track of time. Not to mention she hadn't even bought anything at our store, yet it was our responsibility to give her a ride. Oh well, the daughter seemed excited to walk outside, and it's all well lit with sidewalks around the mall, so it wsn't like she had to trek across a field or anything.

[Kristev]

Wait, what? Another parent who left their child in a shopping center on their own?

That's bad. Bad mom award!

[ZedOmega]

*eyetwitch* So... she left her kid in another part of the mall while she shopped, realized how late it was, then started to freak out? But she wouldn't use the outside entrances because she'd be uncomfortable in the cold weather?

*looks at his hand*

*looks at the wall*

*looks at his desk*

I'm now taking votes. Which of these is my forehead going to make contact with?

[LillFilly]

*looks at his hand*

*looks at the wall*

*looks at his desk*

I'm now taking votes. Which of these is my forehead going to make contact with?

DESK, I VOTE DESK!

[Sandman]

what is the wall made of?

[Jetfire]

To be somewhat fair, it sounded like this "Mother of the Year" hadn't left her daughter in the other end of the shopping mall, but instead had left her with some group that the daughter probably knows. (The OP said the "MotY" said the missing daughter was in a Play at a location in the other end of the mall). Presumeably the Acting group is supervised or at least with people the family knows.

That said, to throw such a fit about having to GO OUTSIDE torpedoes any and all potential sympathy said mother may have had.

[Crossbow]

DESK, I VOTE DESK!

Nah. Go for the keyboard. It leaves so much more interesting marks...

[ralerin]

EW: You mean you're going to make me walk outside?!?! It's cold outside, and it's a long way (complete with a foot stomp and whiny 2 year old voice)

...

EW: Well then you need to find me a ride down to the other ride, because I am absolutely not walking outside!

Playing Devil's Advocate here. Depending on how cold it is AND how far away the walk is, I would ask politely if I could go through the mall, possibly with a security guard if required. I have an allergy to the cold that makes any exposed flesh be coated in a layer of itchy red hives within 5-15 minutes depending on temperature. That, combined with asthma, makes winter not my most favorite season. Just throwing that out in case someone else goes "But ALL people who ask to go through the mall after hours are EWs!"

But the fact that she demanded you get her a ride and threw a foot stomp like a whiny child points that she is nothing but an EW. I would ask nicely. SHe just expected you to cater to her whims.

[MoonCat]

Playing Devil's Advocate here. Depending on how cold it is AND how far away the walk is, I would ask politely if I could go through the mall, possibly with a security guard if required. I have an allergy to the cold that makes any exposed flesh be coated in a layer of itchy red hives within 5-15 minutes depending on temperature. That, combined with asthma, makes winter not my most favorite season. Just throwing that out in case someone else goes "But ALL people who ask to go through the mall after hours are EWs!"

But the fact that she demanded you get her a ride and threw a foot stomp like a whiny child points that she is nothing but an EW. I would ask nicely. SHe just expected you to cater to her whims.

I agree with this. I'm sure if she had a medical reason she would have brought it up.

I recall a customer we had years ago who was required to prepay her ads (this was before prepayment was mandatory for all). She was a PITA in other ways, too (plus she was selling used lingerie...) One day in February she whined that we were-- "inhumane" I think was the word she used-- for requiring her to come to the office in person to pay. I pointed out that all of us had managed to survive the cold on the way to work.

[shadow1186]

The other daughter was in a play, so not unsupervised at least. I feel bad for the daughter in the play once she realizes her mom wasn't there but shopping instead. Had there been a medical issue we might've been able to call the parking lot security to give them a ride.

We've had many people ask us to call the security for a ride, and if we did that everytime security wouldn't get anything else done, and not to mention probably be pretty pissed at us, lol.

[Victory Sabre]

You know, she has to also go into the cold to get her car. I'm surprised that she didn't demand that you also drive her to her car.

[Dreamstalker]

Good point...does the daughter have some magical heat aura shield that protects mom from the cold, and that's why she was able to walk from the car to begin with?

[Sparky]

Perhaps she left her coat at the other site, where her daughter was? And her car was parked near that exit?

Wanting to be allowed to go back through the mall is perfectly reasonable. Acting like a two-year old when denied permission due to a situation entirely of her own making is not.

[Mr Hero]

Why is it the first thing I thought of when I read this title was the song? Maybe change the lyrics around to suit the SC.

[chainedbarista]

it's reasonable only if its within hours; it's her fault for not keeping track of time and therefore, losing the ability to take a warmer route. (unless there is a medical issue, which is a different thing altogether)

i'm sure princess will survive. she can consider this her punishment for not staying to watch and support her daughter during the play.