I was just trying to relax for a minute, you know? Sitting in the campus lounge area, a quiet spot on the second floor where not too many people usually went. It was a good place to just think, away from the noise of the main halls. The big windows looked out over some of the older parts of the campus, and the light was nice. I had just settled into one of the big, soft chairs when this woman came up to me.
She had a really sharp look on her face, like she was in a hurry or something was wrong. Her voice was pretty loud for how quiet the lounge usually was. She asked me where the financial aid office was. I blinked a couple of times. I just looked at her. I guess I didn’t answer fast enough for her, because her expression got even more serious. She asked again, louder, if I knew where the financial aid office could be found and said she needed to talk to someone right away about her kid’s tuition.
I shook my head, my shoulders rising a little. I told her I didn’t work here. I was just a student, same as most everyone else around. I thought that would be the end of it, that she’d say sorry and go find someone who actually knew. But that’s not what happened. Not at all.
She just stared at me. Her eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, you don’t work here?” she asked, like I had just said something completely unbelievable. “You’re sitting here in an office, in a uniform. Of course you work here. You need to tell me where to go right now. This is urgent.”
I looked down at my clothes. I was wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans. Nothing that looked like a uniform for any job I’d ever heard of. I felt confusion building up inside me. I repeated, slower this time, “Ma’am, I am not an employee here. I’m just a student. I don’t know where the financial aid office is.” I tried to sound patient, but a little bit of my calmness was already starting to fray. I just wanted to read my book.
She let out a huff, a loud sound that made my ears feel hot. “Don’t you dare give me that attitude! You’re clearly trying to avoid helping me. I saw you sitting here, just taking up space. You’re supposed to be assisting visitors. This is completely unacceptable. Are you new? Because if you are, you need to learn how to do your job better.”
My jaw tightened. I tried to keep my voice even, but it was getting harder. “I understand you need help, but I cannot give it to you because I am not an employee. I have no idea where that office is. I’m not avoiding anything. I’m just telling you the truth.” A headache was starting to form right behind my eyes.
“Oh, you think this is funny, do you?” Her voice went up a notch, becoming more shrill. “You think you can just sit here and refuse to help a parent? I’ll have you know my taxes pay for this school! You’re probably just lazy. Get up right now and show me to the financial aid department. It’s your responsibility.”
That was when my muscles began to tense. I felt my hands clench into fists on my lap. “I said I do not work here!” The words came out sharper than I intended, almost a shout. My chest felt tight. “I cannot help you! I am not getting up and taking you anywhere! I am not an employee!”
The woman’s entire body seemed to stiffen. Her face twisted into an expression of pure outrage. “How dare you speak to me like that? How absolutely dare you! You are so incredibly rude! I demand to speak to your manager right now! You are going to be fired for this, do you hear me? Fired! I will make sure of it! I pay good money for my child to attend this institution, and I expect respect and service!” She took a step closer, crowding my space.
My blood was starting to pound in my ears. I felt a surge of pure fury. This was beyond ridiculous. I pushed myself up from the chair, a sudden movement that startled her. “I don’t have a manager! Because I don’t work here! Leave me alone!” I tried to walk around her, to get away from the escalating situation. I just needed to breathe some different air.
But she stepped in front of me, blocking my path. Her arm went out, not touching me, but clearly stopping me. “Oh no, you don’t! You’re not going anywhere until you tell me who your supervisor is! You think you can treat me this way and just walk off? I will not stand for this! I want your name! I want your identification! I want you to be disciplined immediately! You are a disgrace to this university!”
My vision started to narrow around the edges. I could feel my face getting hot. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice from trembling with rage. “I’m telling you for the last time, I am not staff! I don’t know what else to say!”
Her voice went up another level. “You are just a disrespectful, unhelpful child! Get me someone in charge! Someone who actually cares about their job! I’m going to report you to the highest levels! You won’t have a job here by the end of the day, I promise you that!” She started making even more noise, just loud complaints about me and my supposed behavior, her volume echoing through the quiet lounge.
At that point, someone else, an actual employee, must have heard all the commotion because a security guard suddenly appeared. He was a big guy, wearing a dark uniform. He looked at me, then at the screaming woman. “Is there a problem here?” he asked, his voice calm but firm.
The woman immediately turned her attention to him, pointing a finger at me. “Yes! There’s a huge problem! This young lady here, she’s an employee, and she’s been incredibly rude and unhelpful! She refused to assist me and then shouted at me! She needs to be fired! Right now!”
I felt a wave of relief wash over me, mixed with a lingering anger. The guard listened to her for a moment, then turned to me. I just shook my head, still feeling that burning frustration. “I don’t work here,” I said, my voice hoarse. “I’ve been trying to tell her that for ten minutes.”
The guard looked between us, his gaze firm. He asked me to explain what happened, which I did as calmly as I could, given how upset I still felt. He nodded slowly as I spoke. When I finished, he turned back to the woman. “Ma’am,” he said, very clearly, “this person does not work for the university. She is a student. You need to leave her alone.”
The woman started arguing with the guard then, telling him he was wrong and that I was lying. She kept saying she wouldn’t leave until I was “dealt with.” I just watched, my chest still aching, as the security guard became less polite and more serious. He warned her a few times, but she wouldn’t stop yelling. Eventually, he pulled out his radio. More security came, and after a lot more arguing and her threatening everyone, they finally escorted her out of the building.
