I was just standing there, looking at a really old map of the world. It was huge, stretched out on a wall in one of the big rooms at the museum. The lines were so intricate, and I was trying to figure out what was what from so long ago. My mind was just wandering, you know? Then, I felt a tap on my shoulder.
I turned around and there was a person standing really close. They had a kind of intense look, like they were in a big hurry. They didn’t even say ‘excuse me’ or nothing. Just launched right into it.
“Can you tell me where the gift shop is? Not the main one, the special one that sells those collector plates. I heard they have the new limited edition ‘Winter Wonderland’ plate, and I need to get one before they’re all gone. I’ve been looking for ages.”
I blinked a couple of times. I was just wearing my own clothes, nothing that looked like a uniform. I even had my backpack slung over one shoulder. “Oh,” I said, a little confused. “I’m sorry, I don’t work here. I’m just visiting, like you.”
The person’s expression didn’t change at all. It was like I hadn’t even spoken. They just kept that hurried look. “No, no, you must know. You’re standing right by this big map, you have to be able to tell me where the special gift shop is. It’s important! I have to find that plate. My sister collects them. You understand, right? It’s a gift.”
A little bit of frustration started to bubble up inside me. My jaw tightened a little. “I really don’t,” I told them again, trying to keep my voice even. “I’m a visitor. I don’t have any idea where a special gift shop would be, let alone any special plates.”
Their voice got louder then, and a little whinier. “But you’re just standing around! You should be helping customers like me. I’ve been walking all over this place. It’s ridiculous how hard it is to find anything around here.” They gestured wildly around the big room. “It’s your job to help people. Now, just point me in the right direction. I don’t have all day.”
My neck muscles started to feel stiff. I felt my face getting warm. The nerve of this person. “I told you, I do not work here!” I said, my voice a lot sharper than I meant it to be. “I am not an employee! I am a paying customer just trying to look at a map!”
That really set them off. Their eyes widened, and their face got all twisted up. “How dare you speak to me like that? That is completely unacceptable! I am a paying customer, and you are being incredibly rude and unhelpful! This is an outrage!”
I felt a headache begin to throb behind my eyes. This was just ridiculous. I wanted to just walk away, but they were standing right in front of me, blocking my path, and their voice was getting shriller. “I can’t help you because I don’t work here,” I tried to explain one last time, my patience completely gone.
“Oh, you’ll help me alright!” they practically yelled, getting even closer. “I’m going to find your manager, and I’m going to make sure you’re fired for treating a patron this way! You have no business being in customer service with that attitude. You should be ashamed of yourself, being so disrespectful to a paying guest who just needs a little assistance. Just tell me where the plates are! It’s not that hard!”
My fists clenched at my sides. I was starting to see red around the edges of my vision. This was beyond crazy. “I am not an employee!” I practically screamed back, my own voice cracking with pure anger. “There is no manager for me here because I do not work here! I am not going to help you find your stupid plate!”
The person gasped, a really dramatic sound. “You insolent little…!” they shrieked. Before I could even react or figure out what they were going to do next, a hand shot out and pushed hard against my chest. I stumbled back, caught off guard. Then, something slammed into the side of my head. It was a sharp, blinding pain. The room spun. The old map on the wall blurred. And then, everything just went dark.
