Drugs, Cops and Bathrooms.... New Years Eve

I think one of the worst kinds of customers are the ones that come in right as the store is closing, and just won't leave, and to top it off reference the fact that they keeping you there. What is so important that you have to buy it right then, and not wait until the next day!And even more.... New Years Eve...why in the world would you want to spend New Years Eve shopping!? And though you may not have a life... the people working at the store are trying to get the hell out of there so that they CAN have a life!

This story isn't exactly about one of those particular customers... but it's the same idea of being stuck in the store until that last person who refuses to leave... leaves!

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Stores close early on New Years Eve. Because lets be honest, there are so many better places to be. Out store was closing at 5 pm that night, and 10 minutes before closing man comes running in to the store. Running and screaming about the people that are chasing him and trying to kill him. His pupils were so large you could have swim in them. The guy runs in 2 full circles around the store, before running in to the bathroom and locking himself in.

After trying to cokes him out of the bathroom themselves, management decides to calls mall security, who show up and stare at the bathroom door before coming to the conclusion that they will do nothing. They figure, he’s in the bathroom, he can’t hurt anyone, wait tel he comes out, they can’t do anything. Big help that is. And to top it off they ignore pleas from the store manager to stay, seeing as they don’t know if he’s dangerous, or possibly has a weapon. Mall security ignores all of this and leaves.

That attempt having failed, so they called the police. After speaking with the police operator and assured someone was on the way they waited for over an hour. Realizing it was now past 6, and they should be home, but instead they are sitting around, pleading to a closed door, and the drugged up man inside to come out. We should be at home, celebrating new years eve.
Realizing that the police has no plan in coming anytime soon, they decided to try one other desperate attempt - to set of the alarm of the store - assuming that then, they police would have to show up to check on the situation. Turns out when the alarm goes off, the alarm company doesn’t call the police, they call the manager that lives closest to the store. Said manager, responded to the call with… “it must be a mistake, their still at the store, don’t inform the police”. So that didn't work ether.

Finally the police came and were able to get the man out of the bathroom and off the premises, but it was 2 hours after closing and 7 pm on New Years Eve. Though we did get out in time to celebrate, it was a long night.

-B