I was just sitting, waiting near the main hall area. It was not a very busy time. People moved past me, but it was not like a rush. I was looking at something on my phone, just passing the minutes until my reason for being there was ready. Then a person stopped in front of me. This person had a bag in one hand and was looking around with a very focused expression, like they were on a mission.
The person looked at me and then at the desk behind me, which no one was at. They then turned back to me, their eyes narrowed a little. “Excuse me,” the person said, their voice quite direct. “I need help. I am looking for the science textbooks. For the advanced class.”
I looked up from my phone. I felt a moment of confusion. My first thought was maybe they were asking for directions generally, but the way they looked at me made it feel different. I held up one hand slightly. “Oh, I am sorry,” I said, trying to be polite. “I do not work here. I am just a visitor today.”
The person did not move. Their expression changed. It was like they did not hear what I said. “No, you are here,” they insisted. “You are just sitting there. You should be helping. I need the big red textbook. The one with the planets on the cover. Where is it kept?”
I felt a small prickle of annoyance. It was not a big deal, but their tone was already starting to grate. “Truly,” I tried again, my voice a little softer, hoping to calm them, “I really do not work here. I am just waiting for someone. I cannot help you find any books.” My forehead creased with worry, I did not want to be rude.
The person’s face went a little red. They put their bag down with a thud. “This is ridiculous! Everyone here is so unhelpful. You are just trying to avoid working, I can see it. Just point me to the shelf. It cannot be that hard for you to do.” Their voice began to rise in volume. I started to get a knot in my stomach. This was escalating much faster than I expected.
“I really cannot,” I said, now feeling a definite strain in my voice. “I would help if I could, but I do not know where the books are. I have never looked for them.” I looked around for any actual staff. My shoulders felt tight, like they were bunching up to my ears. I just wanted this conversation to end.
The person scoffed loudly. “You are just being lazy! I need this book. It is important. You are supposed to assist people. What kind of place is this, with staff just sitting around ignoring customers?”
I felt a hot flush spread across my face. My patience was wearing thin. “I am not staff,” I stated, my voice now firmer. “I am a parent, here for an event. I am going to find someone who actually works here to help you.” I started to push myself up from the seat. My movements were a little stiff from the building tension.
The person stepped closer, blocking my path slightly. Their eyes were wide with what looked like indignation. “No! You stay here! You will help me! You cannot just walk away from a customer. I will report you! I will make sure you get fired for this poor service!”
My jaw began to clench. The thought of being ‘fired’ from a job I didn’t have was so absurd it was almost funny, but the anger swirling inside me made it impossible to laugh. “I am going to find an employee,” I repeated, trying to move around them. My heart began to pound a little harder in my chest. I could feel a dull ache beginning behind my eyes.
“You are not going anywhere until you help me!” the person shouted. Their voice echoed a bit in the empty hall. “You are going to regret this! I know important people here! This is unacceptable behavior from someone who is supposed to be working!”
I saw an actual staff member, an older woman with a nametag, turn a corner down the hall, perhaps drawn by the raised voice. She looked toward us, a questioning expression on her face. I made eye contact with her and motioned slightly with my head, hoping she would understand I needed help.
The person who had been yelling suddenly stopped. They glanced at the approaching staff member. Their whole posture changed. The indignation seemed to drain from them, replaced by something like a quick flash of panic. They quickly grabbed their bag from the floor. Without another word, without even a glance back at me, they practically bolted in the opposite direction, disappearing around another corner before the staff member had even taken more than a few steps toward us. I stood there for a moment, my chest heaving a little, trying to catch my breath. The headache behind my eyes had sharpened into a dull throb. The staff member reached me, looking confused. I just shook my head slightly, still too flustered to speak clearly.
