The air inside the visitor’s center hung thick with the scent of pine needles and damp earth, a pleasant enough aroma that usually brought a sense of peace. I was admiring a display of handcrafted ceramic mugs, each one depicting a different local wildlife scene, when a shadow fell across the one I was holding. A sharp voice cut through the murmur of the other tourists.
“Excuse me, I need help finding the children’s scavenger hunt maps. They were supposed to be near the main entrance, but I can’t seem to locate them. Where are they hiding them now?”
I blinked, lowering the mug to look at the woman standing remarkably close to me. Her face was set in an impatient frown, and her hands were on her hips. I felt a mild confusion ripple through me. “Oh, I’m sorry,” I began, gesturing vaguely at my casual clothes, “I don’t actually work here. I’m just visiting, like you.”
Her frown deepened, and she dismissed my explanation with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Yes, yes, I heard that before. Look, I’m in a hurry. My children are already halfway to the hiking trail, and they need their maps. It’s a very popular item, and I was told they’re always stocked. Just tell me where they are. Are they behind the counter? Did you move them to a different section?” She took a step closer, her voice laced with an insistent demand that made my skin prickle with discomfort. I felt a surge of incredulity; had she not heard me at all?
I tried again, my voice a little firmer this time. “No, really. I don’t work here. I have no idea where the scavenger hunt maps are. I’m just a customer looking at souvenirs.” My gaze flickered past her, hoping to catch the eye of an actual employee, but the checkout lines were long, and the staff seemed preoccupied.
A flush began to creep up her neck. “This is ridiculous. You’re standing right here, wearing a blue shirt. I saw someone in a blue shirt helping a family earlier! You need to help me. It’s your job. If you don’t know, then go find out! Are you new? Is that it? I demand to speak to your manager if you’re going to be this unhelpful.” The accusation in her tone caused my muscles to tense, and a knot formed in my stomach. I felt an undeniable prick of irritation.
Realizing that simply repeating myself was getting me nowhere, I decided to take a different approach. “Look, I really can’t help you, but I can try to find someone who can.” I scanned the room more purposefully this time, spotting a young man in a branded polo shirt restocking a shelf of local honey. He looked like an actual employee. I started to move towards him, hoping to diffuse the escalating situation, with the woman trailing behind me, muttering under her breath about poor customer service.
As I approached the employee, he looked up, sensing my presence. “Excuse me,” I said, trying to keep my voice even, “this woman is looking for the children’s scavenger hunt maps, and she seems to think I work here. Could you possibly help her?” Before the employee could respond, the woman burst forward, her voice rising in pitch. “Don’t listen to her! She’s being completely useless! I asked her a simple question about where the maps were, and she refused to assist me. She needs to be disciplined! I want her fired for her insubordination!” My jaw tightened at the sheer audacity of her accusation. I could feel a throbbing sensation starting behind my eyes.
The young employee looked between us, a bewildered expression on his face. “Ma’am,” he began, addressing the other woman, “I’m sorry, but she doesn’t work here. She’s a visitor.” He then turned to me, offering a polite but confused nod. The woman, however, was not appeased. Her face had turned a mottled red, and her eyes, which I noticed now were a pale blue, narrowed into angry slits. “I don’t care what she says! She refused to help me! She has an obligation to help customers when they ask! And now she’s trying to lie her way out of it and make me look foolish. This is an outrage!” Her voice was now attracting the attention of other customers, who began to cast curious glances our way. My heart started to race with a mixture of anger and a desperate desire for the ground to swallow me whole.
I tried to interject, to explain my position one more time, but she simply talked over me, her voice growing louder. “She’s unprofessional! Absolutely deplorable service! I’m going to report all of you! You’re all going to lose your jobs for this! Especially her, for her rudeness and refusal to do her basic duties!” She pointed a finger directly at me, her whole body vibrating with what seemed like unbridled rage. A cold wave of despair washed over me, realizing no amount of logic would penetrate her indignation. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, but I forced myself to remain still, trying to project a calm I didn’t feel.
The employee stepped forward, attempting to diffuse the situation more directly. “Ma’am, please calm down. I can help you find the maps, but this person is not an employee here.” His words seemed only to enrage her further. She pivoted, her gaze fixed on me, as if I were the sole cause of all her problems. “Oh, so you think you can just stand there, smirking, while I’m being ignored? You think this is funny, do you?” Her face contorted into a snarl, and before I could even process what was happening, I felt a sudden, sharp impact against the side of my head. A blinding flash of white light, then darkness.
